What food safety issues aren’t being addressed by the FDA and USDA but should be?
I don’t know that there are any issues that are not being addressed. In some cases it’s just that our system is in need of upgrading because most of the pathogens that we’re dealing with are microorganisms. Historically, the food safety system has pretty much been based on the sensory evaluation of products—in other words, how does the food look, feel, or smell? Because most of the common causes of food-borne illness are microorganisms, you can’t detect a problem unless the product is spoiled or extensively damaged. A visual-based inspection program is not 100-percent foolproof in protecting against these microbial pathogens. Current improvements are in what we call “real-time detection,” where scientists are developing tests for these microbes so we can take samples from the surfaces of carcasses and other foods and provide prompt results. In this way, contaminated products can be prevented from entering the food chain. Federal agencies are looking into how to protect the food supply
