Last Tuesday, Tom Henshaw, an Ohio State University doctoral candidate, held an informational meeting that mainly focused on addressing the issues that taint the safety of food within the country. Concerned with the recent increase in the number of food-related outbreaks or food-recalls, Tom reckons that it is high time the public got more involved in what they eat.

According to Henshaw, most of the products on the market are collected at one place and then redistributed, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. He cited the example of the 2006 E. coli outbreak due to spinach contamination. Other mentions included the ‘criminal’ companies that had more than once been found to have numerous health violations in its operations. Food labels have also become a major concern, since their ambiguity in terms of food safety have caused a lot of confusion among shoppers.

It was not all criticism for the system; major advancements in improving standards of food safety within the country were pointed out. The Food Safety Modernization act that was enacted into law two years ago has given more power to the Food and Drug Administration to monitor imported foods. Overall, the entire food system is not as gruesome as it may sound and eventually most of the control on what we are eating lies in our very own hands. Under the act, it is required that importers ensure that the food they import actually meets health standards. A Commissioner with the FDA, Margaret Hamburg, states that under the law, various food safety agencies will have to make a combined effort to ensure the standards of food are upheld. The approach of prevention that the law takes will be vital in future food standards.