WASHINGTON — Little progress has been made in combating many
types of food-borne illnesses in recent years, according to new
federal data, an outcome that food safety advocates say
underscores the need to put into place the landmark food-safety
bill signed by President Barack Obama more than a year ago. The
most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention show that the rates of infections linked to four out
of five key pathogens it tracks — salmonella, vibrio,
campylobacter and listeria — remained relatively steady or
increased from 2007 through 2011. The exception is a strain of
E. coli, which has been tied to fewer illnesses in the same time
frame. The results frustrated consumer advocates, who along with
industry groups pushed for passage of the Food Safety
Modernization Act, which empowers the Food and Drug
Administration to prevent food-borne illnesses instead of simply
reacting to them. Obama signed the legislation in January 2011
after a string of food-borne outbreaks shook consu