The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made available on the Internet the second edition of the Bad Bug Book, a handbook of basic information about foodborne bacteria, viruses, parasites, prions, and naturally occurring toxins. In addition to updated scientific information, the book includes five new chapters (on Cronobacter, Enterococcus, Francisella tularensis, phytohaemagglutinin, and venomous fish).

Although the book is intended primarily for scientific and technical readers, each chapter now also includes a separate section for consumers. The consumer sections are written in everyday language and focus on food safety, including tips on how to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

(Don’t pay attention to this; attempts to simplify or dumb down information rarely work; write and present information in a clear, concise and compelling manner).

Please check the FDA web site periodically, as more chapters will be added. The updated edition of the Bad Bug Book is available on the FDA web site at http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/default.htm