“Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food” wins an Emmy

The Netflix documentary “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food” has won an Emmy for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary at the 45th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards. Image Credit: Joe Seer

The Netflix documentary “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food” has won an Emmy for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary at the 45th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards. This accolade highlights the film’s profound impact since its debut on 2 August 2023, shedding light on the critical and often overlooked issues surrounding food safety in the US.

Directed by Stephanie Soechtig and based on Jeff Benedict’s bestselling book “Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat”, the film explores the devastating 1993 E. coli outbreak linked to fast-food chain Jack in the Box, a tragedy that led to widespread illness and multiple fatalities. The incident was a watershed moment in food safety, triggering significant regulatory changes. 

Prominent food safety figures, such as William “Bill” Marler, a leading food safety lawyer who was instrumental in pushing for reforms following the Jack in the Box incident, feature in the documentary.

The documentary also includes moving testimonies from those directly affected by foodborne illnesses, such as Darin Detwiler, a frequent advocate for food safety reform, whose 16-month-old son, Riley, tragically died during the E. coli outbreak.

Earlier this month, Detwiler, who previously appeared on New Food’s “Food to Go” podcast, delivered a keynote speech at the Food Integrity Global 2024 conference, where he asked a crucial question: Is our food the safest it has ever been?

“Poisoned” brings this question to the forefront and has reignited the conversation around food safety, stressing the ongoing risks posed by foodborne pathogens and the need for vigilance and reform within the food industry.

As food safety continues to be a pressing concern globally, the documentary’s impact will likely be felt for years to come.