U.S. food tracing system is moldy
A new Health and Human Services report reveals disturbing gaps in the government's ability to trace food sources. Janet Babin reports.
Woman grocery shopping (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
TEXT OF STORY
Kai Ryssdal: There actually is such a thing as a food emergency. And it's a lot more serious than not having anything in the house for dinner. Officially, it's when the government has to figure out which ingredient in a food is making people sick. To take a recent example: contaminated peanuts. Companies do have to keep records about the ingredients they use. But according to a report today, they're not keeping enough records. Marketplace's Janet Babin has more now from North Carolina Public Radio.
JANET BABIN: It can be a long road from the field to your fork. In the report, the government tried to track all the stops made by 40 foods. Daniel Levinson is the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Daniel Levinson: Only 5 of the 40 products we purchased could actually be traced through each stage of the food-supply chain.
A pretty disturbing discovery. Especially because it's apparently not that hard to keep track of all the ingredients going into food. Manufacturer Mike Schall is with Monterey Gourmet Foods.
Mike Schall: It's record keeping, it's observation, which is mandated by FDA.
Inspector General Levinson wants Congress to write tougher record-keeping laws. That could raise costs for food companies. But Sarah Klein with Center for Science in the Public Interest says not necessarily.
Sarah Klein: It may cost businesses a little more money at the front end, but it will certainly save them the kind of money that they've been losing from these recalls.
Kellogg recently admitted that the peanut recall cost it more than $60 million.
I'm Janet Babin for Marketplace.
Comments
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From NJ, 06/03/2009
I agree with Mr. Donnelly. Monsanto is the ugly green giant in the room forcing its will on the world. Local, truly sustainable farmers and, go for it!, organic growers are the ONLY means to create a safe earth for everyone. Marketplace, please refuse Monsanto money!
05/13/2009
Are you aware of the french movie "the world according to monsanto"? If you are aware of monsanto's bill in the house food Saftey Modernization Act HR 875, Monsanto's ability to introduce GMO's on a world wind scale,Why are they one of your Sponsors?
From Birmingham, AL, 03/27/2009
Warning! This is part of a quiet, cynical campaign to wipe out small, decentralized growers and concentrate all food production in the hands of the factory farms. It sounds so simple, so uncontroversial, to want to know where ingredients in your food come from. But the only growers who can comply with these new requirements will be the factories. Small farmers will just drop out, and the factories know it. The best way to protect the food supply is to know your grower. While you're at it, please give him or her a hug and reassure them that what they're doing is important!
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