Comments on: The high human cost of unsafe food http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:20:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rosana http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-33054 Rosana Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:18 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-33054 As an european I was amazed when I saw how a vital matter such as food safety was treated in the US. It's unbelievable that a country like yours doesn't pay much attention to the safety of the food produced in its factories. Maybe unsafe food doesn't cause as many illnesses and fatalities as other things do, but having a small number of cases doesn't mean that no action is needed. If you have ever visited factories in the US, or if you have ever watched the program Unwrapped (Food Network) you know that most of production facilities are obviously unsafe and potentially dangerous. And on a personal note, I have to say that being a healthy person and with no allergies known, I've felt ill from food in the US a lot more often than in any other developed country I've visited in my life. A good HACCP system in place, and quality controls from strictly regulated organizations (either public or private organizations but deeply regulated) may have a great impact on food's safety. Quality certifications such as BRC and IFS force manufacturers to implement good working practices along with very hard and fast rules on food safety. Complying with all health regulations may be expensive for some producers but it's still needed for the common good. From my humble point of view, the EU regulations on food safety, food labeling, etc, could (and maybe should) be a reference. And I agree with those who say that regulations should be flexible enough to acommodate small producers realities. As an european I was amazed when I saw how a vital matter such as food safety was treated in the US. It’s unbelievable that a country like yours doesn’t pay much attention to the safety of the food produced in its factories.

Maybe unsafe food doesn’t cause as many illnesses and fatalities as other things do, but having a small number of cases doesn’t mean that no action is needed. If you have ever visited factories in the US, or if you have ever watched the program Unwrapped (Food Network) you know that most of production facilities are obviously unsafe and potentially dangerous.

And on a personal note, I have to say that being a healthy person and with no allergies known, I’ve felt ill from food in the US a lot more often than in any other developed country I’ve visited in my life.

A good HACCP system in place, and quality controls from strictly regulated organizations (either public or private organizations but deeply regulated) may have a great impact on food’s safety. Quality certifications such as BRC and IFS force manufacturers to implement good working practices along with very hard and fast rules on food safety. Complying with all health regulations may be expensive for some producers but it’s still needed for the common good.

From my humble point of view, the EU regulations on food safety, food labeling, etc, could (and maybe should) be a reference. And I agree with those who say that regulations should be flexible enough to acommodate small producers realities.

]]> By: Fix Me A Snack » Blog Archive » Web morsels http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32719 Fix Me A Snack » Blog Archive » Web morsels Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:37:01 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32719 [...] The high human cost of unsafe food from Food Politics. [...] [...] The high human cost of unsafe food from Food Politics. [...]

]]> By: Christine Irizarry http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32705 Christine Irizarry Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:43:52 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32705 Dr. Nestle, I listened to Tom Ashbrook's Oct. 7 On Point show on the New York Times article. Shocking. One hour wasn't enough to cover all the issues, and the issue of the school lunch program receiving this meat (possibly containing "irradiated fecal matter," to quote a participant whose name I didn't catch unfortunately) didn't even come up. Thanks for Foodpolitics.com! -Christine Dr. Nestle, I listened to Tom Ashbrook’s Oct. 7 On Point show on the New York Times article. Shocking. One hour wasn’t enough to cover all the issues, and the issue of the school lunch program receiving this meat (possibly containing “irradiated fecal matter,” to quote a participant whose name I didn’t catch unfortunately) didn’t even come up. Thanks for Foodpolitics.com!
-Christine

]]> By: Daniel http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32701 Daniel Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:35:30 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32701 Hi Marion, I read that CSPI report too, and I had issues with it. They cited 48,000 cases of illness from those ten foods, which sounds like a really big number until you get deep into the report and find out that's an aggregate number over a 17 year period. That works out to only ~2800 cases per year (of just illness, mind you, not fatalities) in a country with 300 million people. For comparison, we have 37,000 to 41,000 auto fatalities per year in the USA. And those are fatalities, not "auto illnesses." I know it's a headline grabber to claim death from a pint of ice cream, but this study really the crisis the CSPI makes it out to be? Dan <a href="http://casualkitchen.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Casual Kitchen</a> Hi Marion,
I read that CSPI report too, and I had issues with it. They cited 48,000 cases of illness from those ten foods, which sounds like a really big number until you get deep into the report and find out that’s an aggregate number over a 17 year period.

That works out to only ~2800 cases per year (of just illness, mind you, not fatalities) in a country with 300 million people. For comparison, we have 37,000 to 41,000 auto fatalities per year in the USA. And those are fatalities, not “auto illnesses.”

I know it’s a headline grabber to claim death from a pint of ice cream, but this study really the crisis the CSPI makes it out to be?

Dan
Casual Kitchen

]]> By: susanne http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32693 susanne Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:08:06 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32693 "perfectly possible" does not mean it will happen, especially when meat producers and packers are funding congress. check out "Everything I want to do is Illegal" by joel salatin. it is one thing to say everyone should produce food safely. it is completely another thing when it comes to writing legislation. things get written in such as separate bathrooms and locker rooms and washrooms for male and female employees. what kind of small farm can afford to build such facilities? some small farms do not even have "employees." just their own family members. these are the kinds of things that are meaningless to a huge meat-packing facility but that will put a small farm out of business. “perfectly possible” does not mean it will happen, especially when meat producers and packers are funding congress.

check out “Everything I want to do is Illegal” by joel salatin.

it is one thing to say everyone should produce food safely. it is completely another thing when it comes to writing legislation. things get written in such as separate bathrooms and locker rooms and washrooms for male and female employees. what kind of small farm can afford to build such facilities? some small farms do not even have “employees.” just their own family members. these are the kinds of things that are meaningless to a huge meat-packing facility but that will put a small farm out of business.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32691 Cindy Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:01:48 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32691 Joy, I think that every food producer, small and large, should have to follow safe production regulations. It's perfectly possible to craft laws protecting small producers, but they certainly should not be exempt, Joy, I think that every food producer, small and large, should have to follow safe production regulations. It’s perfectly possible to craft laws protecting small producers, but they certainly should not be exempt,

]]> By: Bill http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32689 Bill Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:52:20 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32689 Marion - Ill send you a t-shirt. Marion – Ill send you a t-shirt.

]]> By: Carrie R. http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32688 Carrie R. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:31:48 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32688 Regarding the CSPI "Top 10" report, it only includes foods regulated by the FDA. Since ground beef is regulated by USDA, it wouldn't make this list. The conclusion at the end of the report gives some rationale as to why CSPI chose to break it out this way: to spur Congress to take action on bills that would impact FDA's regulatory authority. Even though they mention the types of food FDA regulates, I think CSPI should have been more conspicuous about the types of foods *not* included. Regarding the CSPI “Top 10″ report, it only includes foods regulated by the FDA. Since ground beef is regulated by USDA, it wouldn’t make this list. The conclusion at the end of the report gives some rationale as to why CSPI chose to break it out this way: to spur Congress to take action on bills that would impact FDA’s regulatory authority. Even though they mention the types of food FDA regulates, I think CSPI should have been more conspicuous about the types of foods *not* included.

]]> By: The high human cost of unsafe food http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32687 The high human cost of unsafe food Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:09:12 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32687 [...] reading is a guest post from the honorable Marion Nestle, originally posted on her Food Politics [...] [...] reading is a guest post from the honorable Marion Nestle, originally posted on her Food Politics [...]

]]> By: Anthro http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/10/the-high-human-cost-of-unsafe-food/comment-page-1/#comment-32685 Anthro Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:36:20 +0000 http://www.foodpolitics.com/?p=1633#comment-32685 I would echo Joy's question and asked something similar at the Feedback section. How do I know if my small, independent producer is producing safe food? Is it enough to know that the operation is small and can I therefore assume that there is less chance of contamination to begin with? As to outrage, I have way too much already just with healthcare, unending wars, torture, poverty, prisons, climate change. I call my representatives all the time and only get bored sounding aides who thank me for my call in that same way that a low paid checker says, "have a nice day". All my reps are moderate to liberal democrats who vote pretty much in line with my views and there isn't much I can do about the rest--they don't even answer letters. I think the Times story will help more than my individual effort in this case. Also, new people running these agencies should help as well, although it would be good to separate food safety from agricultural interests. I would echo Joy’s question and asked something similar at the Feedback section. How do I know if my small, independent producer is producing safe food? Is it enough to know that the operation is small and can I therefore assume that there is less chance of contamination to begin with?

As to outrage, I have way too much already just with healthcare, unending wars, torture, poverty, prisons, climate change. I call my representatives all the time and only get bored sounding aides who thank me for my call in that same way that a low paid checker says, “have a nice day”. All my reps are moderate to liberal democrats who vote pretty much in line with my views and there isn’t much I can do about the rest–they don’t even answer letters. I think the Times story will help more than my individual effort in this case. Also, new people running these agencies should help as well, although it would be good to separate food safety from agricultural interests.

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