Recent alerts about unsafe food in both domestic and imported products have raised the profile of food safety issues in the United States.  Staying informed about food safety can help protect you and your family against foodborne illnesses.

How do food safety breaches occur? Domestic food supplies can contain harmful bacteria, like E. Coli or Salmonella, which originate from the soil or water and can be spread on kitchen surfaces.  Although widespread recalls of contaminated domestic food is rare, there have been several notable cases in the last few years.  The widely broadcast recall of spinach grown in California in September 2006 is an example of this type of contamination.

Safety of imported food has also drawn recent attention.  The safety of Chinese seafood, for example, has been called into question because of China’s long-time use of pesticides that can accumulate in through the food chain, including in humans. Though these pesticides were officially banned in 1983, China had been using them for decades prior to the ban, and dangerous levels can still be detected in Chinese seafood protects today.

What is the government doing to ensure my food is safe? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is primarily responsible for ensuring our food supply is safe.  The agency's scientists test samples to see if any substances, such as pesticide residues or bacteria, are present in unacceptable amounts. If contaminants are identified, FDA takes corrective action to prevent the spread of unsafe food.

The FDA maintains a website that has tips to help consumers keep their food safe and information about how to report concerns at www.FoodSafety.gov.  You can also access up-to-date information about the food safety alerts at the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at www.cfsan.fda.gov. 

My friend, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, has long worked on issues of food safety and has introduced H.R. 2108, the Human and Pet Food Safety Act. This legislation would protect humans and animals from contaminants in food by requiring inspection standards of imported food.  The Senate has already adopted this legislation as an amendment to a bill regulating the Food and Drug Administration.

What can I do to ensure my food is safe? Here are a few ways you can monitor your food safety and what to do if you think you have been exposed to food-borne contaminants.

·         Keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which will slow the growth of bacteria.  Cold conditions—even below freezing—will not kill bacteria, but can prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.

·         Refrigerate hot food within two hours of cooking, and label your leftovers with the date.

·         Report any suspected food-borne illness to your local health department.   Public health departments can advise you on treatment and collect information about potential outbreaks.

Check www.recalls.gov for updates on consumer products, including food items that have been recalled because of safety concerns.