Local Food Can Reduce Foodborne Illness

[Devotay]

A well-written op-ed piece by Eric Schlosser

Has Politics Contaminated the Food Supply?

By ERIC SCHLOSSER

Published: December 11, 2006

THIS fall has brought plenty of bad news about food poisoning. More

than 200 people in 26 states were sickened and three people were

killed by spinach contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. At least 183

people in 21 states got salmonella from tainted tomatoes served at

restaurants. And more than 160 people in New York, New Jersey and

other states were sickened with E. coli after eating at Taco Bell

restaurants.

People are always going to get food poisoning. The idea that every

meal can be risk-free, germ-free and sterile is the sort of fantasy

Howard Hughes might have entertained. But our food can be much safer

than it is right now.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76

million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000

die each year because of something they ate.

Part of the problem is that the government's food-safety system is

underfinanced, poorly organized and more concerned with serving

private interests than with protecting public health. It is time for

the new Democratic Congress to reverse a decades-long weakening of

regulations and face up to the food-safety threats of the 21st

century.

Read the whole piece here (Requires quick, free login)

Good to see such issues getting broad exposure.

[JasonZ]

Agreed -- the safety and quality of the food supply should be everyone's concern ... shame it takes disasters like the spinach and Taco Bell events to make people pay attention.

Regards,

Jason

Edited December 13, 2006 by JasonZ (log)

[Devotay]

Yeah, but very few people ever do pay attention. They have the same attitude when they hear of a tornado; "Gee what a shame. Glad it couldn't happen to me."

'Fraid it'll take an outbreak of Katrina like proportions. Course, our response to that left a lot to be desired too.

[BryanZ]

There's a very interesting academic piece entitled "The deglobalization of food markets? consumer perceptions of safe food: the case of Norway" that's worth Googling for those looking for deeper study in this topic.

Edited December 13, 2006 by BryanZ (log)