More and more and more on Food Safety

August 15th, 2008

Many of you are probably tired of my posts regarding the Salmonella outbreak that sickened over 1400 US citizens from one of my June first posts ?I say Tomato

Many of you are probably tired of my posts regarding the Salmonella outbreak that sickened over 1400 US citizens from one of my June first posts ?I say Tomato, you say Tomahto? to a July post on the same subject ?Holy Jalapeño? I have discussed the lack of traceability and adherence to food safety standrdards in our supply chain. Below are some other activities also related to this subject. As a former Ohio resident, I applaud Senator Browns work.

I read two interesting articles today. Once came from US Senator from Ohio Sherrod Browns monthly newsletter http://brown.senate.gov/ . The other came from a related news article in the Thursday August 14, 2008 edition of USA TODAY Money section cover story titled “Tracing tainted produce isn?t easy.” written by Julie Schmit The following are excerpts from Senator Brown?s news letter.

Recent salmonella and E. coli outbreaks in Ohio and across the nation have highlighted the serious shortcomings of our current food safety system. It’s bad enough that many Ohioans are struggling to afford groceries; they should not also have to worry about the safety of the food on their dinner tables. The safety of our food supply is too important to be left to voluntary self-policing by private industry. The Safe And Fair Enforcement and Recall for (SAFER) Meat, Poultry, and Food Act of 2008 would give federal regulators the authority they need to achieve our government’s most important duty: to keep Americans safe.

The aforementioned USA today story discusses issues causing the slowness in traceability within the produce supply chain being caused by a lack of inadequate record keeping. Record keeping required by bio-terrorism laws enacted after the events of 9/11. The following quote ?A faster system would allow (us) to exclude products faster and give you a source faster? is from David Acheson the FDA?s food safety chief to law makers?

The SafeSourceIt? Supplier Database with over 250,000 North American suppliers is focused on safe and environmentally focused sources of supply and traceability for retailers.

I continue to appreciate your shared concerns and look forward to your comments

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