Latest news with #ErikSvendsen
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CDC cruise inspectors stretched thin as layoffs hit outbreak watchdogs
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said cruise ship inspections will continue amid government layoffs, an official said the task will be more challenging for remaining workers. The agency's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) was among the initiatives impacted by recent staffing cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services. 'It really compromises everything and makes it difficult for them to travel globally and do those inspections in Europe or wherever it might be,' said Erik Svendsen, the Director of the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice at the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health. CDC says cruise ship cleanliness checks aren't going anywhere, even after mass layoffs On April 1, Svendsen was placed on administrative leave until early June, at which point he will be terminated. VSP is in his division. The news comes after a recent string of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks. Twelve of those met the agency's threshold for public notification so far this year. Most were caused by norovirus. The CDC logged 18 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships in all of 2024 and 14 the year before. A CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY last week that cruise ship inspections would continue amid the staffing cuts. 'This work has not stopped, as the VSP is primarily staffed by USPHS commissioned officers who were not subject to the reduction in force," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. However, according to Svendsen, support staff at the VSP were part of the force reduction. CBS News previously reported on the cuts. While USPHS officers boarded the ships and handled in-person aspects of the inspection process, civilian employees were 'helping to support that mission with all of the logistics (and) administration,' according to Svendsen. The leader of the outbreak response team was among the latter category, he added. The CDC did not immediately respond to an additional request for comment. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry's leading trade organization, said its members continue to follow guidelines set out by the VSP as a condition of their membership. 'Our current understanding from the CDC is that the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which is voluntary and funded by the cruise industry, will continue to operate,' CLIA told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. 'Additionally public reports have noted that the program is administered and staffed primarily by commissioned US Public Health officers, so we expect programmatic activities to continue in some capacity.' HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said earlier this month that some programs and personnel were mistakenly cut and would be reinstated. However, Svendsen said he hasn't received any updates on his role or VSP. The program 'helps the cruise industry prevent and control public health issues,' according to the CDC's website. That includes inspecting ships' dining rooms, galleys, potable water systems, swimming pools, whirlpools, child activity centers and more; investigating outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness; and reviewing ship designs. 'They're essentially a public health department for the cruise ship industry,' said Svendsen. While VSP inspects ships in U.S. ports, there are similar programs in other countries. VSP inspects vessels twice a year. 'If a ship sails outside of the United States for an extended period, it may not be inspected twice a year, but it will be inspected again when it returns to the United States,' the CDC's website said. According to the current fee schedule, the ships' owners pay fees for inspections and reinspections, ranging from about $8,000 to nearly $65,000, depending on the vessel's size. Cruise ship inspection reports are publicly accessible online. Svendsen noted that the remaining officers working at VSP are 'committed to the mission.' 'They're public health soldiers, and they will find a way, even if they have to sacrifice and do extra work, they'll get it done,' he said. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cruise ship sanitation inspections hit by government cuts
Fox News
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Barbecue superfan says favorite dish is an entire alligator: 'Turkey of the swamp'
Erik Svendsen, 42, has started showcasing his cooking skills on social media, where he ordinarily cooks beef, pork and fish. Recently, the automotive supplies shop owner from Provo, Utah, turned his hand to cooking alligator, news agency SWNS reported. Svendsen calls it "the turkey of the swamp" — and it costs up to $300 a piece. He said he leaves the animal's head and feet on "for presentation" — and props open the jaws with a wood block while it's on the grill. His most recent barbecued alligator cost $200, SWNS said. It takes about three-and-a-half hours in total to cook. Svendsen said he cooks the alligator at 225° for two hours, then turns it up to 350° for an hour and a half. "I did a lot of turkey and ham content, so I wanted to test myself and make it for Thanksgiving," he told SWNS. "When I cooked an alligator for the first time, I did it so well and it tasted so good." He added, "The brine is the most crucial part. The flavor makes it better for people to eat it. I highly recommend getting your alligator from either Louisiana or Florida … All the times I've done it, I have kept it with Cajun spices, then I put salt in for the brine and lemon." He said he "loves" Swamp Boys Original BBQ Sauce, "which is apple-flavored; I think it was made for alligators." "Everybody who eats it loves it if it's adequately prepared," he said. "Some people say it can taste fishy, but mine is a BBQ chicken that tastes like a pork tenderloin." He added, "I had a bowl of alligator meat, shredded chicken and chopped chicken — and I didn't tell anyone what bowl was [which]," Svendsen told SWNS. "I had 20 neighbors — and they all loved the alligator." He said he researched how to cook alligators and watched plenty of tutorials. He focuses on the tail tenderloins and the meat alongside the back and neck, he said. (The most commonly eaten part of the gator, at least in Florida, is the ribs, according to Food & Wine.) "It's fun to create new flavors for different dishes," said Svendsen. In terms of his posts on social media, he said he wants "to look back on my journey [of] all of my BBQs." "I see people try new things, which makes me Google the dish and ingredients before I go and make it," he added. "The best part of this is that people comment and engage in my work," he said, "which makes it fun when you are learning so much." "Choice cuts of meat, primarily the tail and jaw, can be readily used in any recipe." The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said alligator meat "has a very mild taste … [It] is a versatile substitute in recipes calling for veal, chicken and most seafood." It also notes on its website, "Choice cuts of meat, primarily the tail and jaw, can be readily used in any recipe. The body and leg meat can be just as tasty with just a little extra preparation and special recipes. Alligator is also low in fat." Fox News Digital reached out to Svendsen for more details.
