April 10/St. Louis Post-Dispatch -- Rates of food-borne illnesses have remained roughly level since 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported, revealing what health officials and regulators say is an alarming lack of progress in reducing food safety risks.

The rate of illnesses from salmonella -- the bug that struck hundreds of Americans in recent outbreaks involving peanut butter and hot peppers -- is twice the level federal agencies had hoped to reach, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, produce-related food poisonings are on the rise.