(WHAS11) Just how safe is our food supply in the U.S.?
A new report finds gaping holes in the government’s system to trace the food supply.
Food facilities must register with the FDA so that in the case of an emergency, food sources can be traced and contaminated products can be quickly removed.
But of the 130 facilities surveyed, nearly half didn’t provide accurate information about who to contact in an emergency.
“It’s shocking and it’s really appalling because this is about safety and about public health. When you have negligence like this, this puts the public health at risk and you know, this cost lives,” was one sentiment echoed in light of these findings.
There have been an increase in scares in recent years; the salmonella outbreak among peanut products, an outbreak first blamed on tomatoes then traced to jalapenos, and the recent recall of more than 20,000 pounds of beef.
The FDA hopes legislation currently in congress will correct the problems.
