Honestly, did you hear about the E. coli outbreak that hit 15 states last November? It was no joke, folks. Dozens of people got sick, including a 9-year-old boy in Indiana and a 57-year-old woman in Missouri. Tragically, one person even died.

But here’s the kicker — the FDA stayed silent on the matter. Yup, you read that right. They closed the investigation without spilling the beans on which companies were to blame for the contaminated romaine lettuce that caused all this chaos.

Now, some folks might say the FDA had its reasons for keeping things hush-hush. Maybe they were still working behind the scenes with the companies involved. Or perhaps they just didn’t have all the facts yet.

But let me tell ya, former FDA bigwig Frank Yiannas ain’t buying it. He thinks the FDA should’ve spilled the beans on the culprits so consumers could make informed decisions about what they munch on. And you know what? I kinda agree with him.

Speaking of folks in the know, Dr. Amanda Brzozowski, a senior epidemiologist, was on the front lines when the first cases of E. coli started popping up. High school students in St. Louis County were dropping like flies, suffering from stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration. It was a nightmare, she said, unlike anything they’d ever seen before.

Then there’s the heart-wrenching story of Colton George, the 9-year-old basketball player who got hit hard by E. coli. This poor kid ended up in the hospital with kidney failure, needing dialysis and missing out on his own birthday. His parents were beside themselves, wondering where they went wrong.

And get this — it turns out that Taylor Farms, a big shot in the salad game, might be the one behind all this mess. The Georges and other victims are pointing fingers at them in court, saying they sold faulty produce. But Taylor Farms is singing a different tune, denying any involvement in the outbreak.

To top it all off, the FDA is keeping mum about the romaine lettuce fiasco, leaving families like the Georges in the dark. They’re still drowning in medical bills while their son recovers, and they feel like it’s just not right.

So, in my opinion, it’s time for the FDA to step up and spill the beans. People have a right to know what’s going on with their food, don’t you think? Let’s hope they start sharing the scoop before the next outbreak hits.