From Our President: A Safer Food Supply

Salmonella in flour. Listeria in salad greens. Hepatitis A in frozen fruit. These are just a few examples of the alarming recalls made in 2023—and it’s only July. Each year, an average of 48 million people fall ill from eating food contaminated with bacteria or viruses. Almost 130,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Consumers should be able to assume their food is safe and should not have to resign themselves to the high risk of food poisoning.

That’s why CR is committed to reporting on problems in our food supply, such as this month’s article on seafood safety and our recent analysis of 10 foods linked to the most serious outbreaks and recalls. It can also be hard to stay on top of every new food warning, but CR makes it easier with our recall tracker. Sign up to get text alerts about products to avoid.

While your awareness is important, if we want more peace of mind about our food, we also need to revolutionize the way our food system is regulated, starting with the Food and Drug Administration. Consumers need more transparency and accountability at the FDA, but today the agency has a splintered, dysfunctional structure that has led to countless safety issues, including last year’s infant formula crisis. CR is working hard to ensure that the FDA appoints a deputy commissioner with direct authority over all aspects of its food program, empowering the agency to establish a prevention-based system that fully addresses the risks that endanger consumers. You can help make that happen by signing our petition.

We should be able to trust that the food we eat will not make us sick. There’s more to be done together on that front. Through our tools, reporting, and advocacy, CR is determined to create the safe, reliable food system that every consumer deserves.