Weekly Food Recalls Pose Risk to Your Family's Safety

Author: Hon. Nancy Harvey Steorts
Published: 2010/09/07 - Updated: 2024/08/09
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Announcement
Category Topic: Recalls, Warnings and Advisories - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: With a new food recall every week national safety expert reveals why your family is still at risk. What most consumers don't know is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the same authority as the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Introduction

The recent food recalls of eggs contaminated with salmonella and approximately 380,000 pounds of Tyson Foods deli meat with possible listeria monocytogenes contamination have consumers questioning the safety of their food. While most consumers assume that government agencies and the food industry are working to protect the public, the truth is that their measures fall short of what is needed, resulting in avoidable illness and deaths each year.

Main Content

As the former Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Hon. Nancy Harvey Steorts says that what most consumers don't know is that the Food and Drug Administration does not have the same authority as the Consumer Product Safety Commission. She says it is time for a well-funded, separate, independent agency with strong authority to be focused solely on food safety.

Invite Steorts to answer:

• Why are consumers being treated like guinea pigs by the food industry?
• Where are the independent 3rd-party inspectors who should be protecting consumers?
• Why aren't recalls of contaminated food products mandatory?
• Why don't food companies that produce unsafe products receive huge fines and even prison time for those directly responsible?
• How can consumers protect themselves and their families?
• What should every parent know about food allergies?

Credentials

Hon. Nancy Harvey Steorts served as the Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and was the first Consumer Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. She served in several capacities under five presidential administrations. She is the author of three highly acclaimed books on safety and is the nation's foremost authority on safety. Her latest book, Your Home Safe Home, reveals what every homeowner needs to know to keep their family members safe at home. Steorts is an international media expert who has been interviewed by national networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and more.

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Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Hon. Nancy Harvey Steorts and published on 2010/09/07, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.