Food Safety Modernization Bill: Ensuring that Food is Clean and Safe to Eat

There are many important elements needed for humans to continue living in this world. One of them is food which enables a person to satisfy his/her gastronomic needs. It is very essential as it stimulates growth, produces energy, repair damaged cells and maintain proper nutrition and health. What people don’t know is that food is also vulnerable to various diseases that can easily infect millions of people worldwide. That is why it is the job of government agencies to ensure that the food eaten by citizens is clean and safe to eat.

Eggs, regardless of how it’s cooked have been a worldwide symbol for breakfast. Just recently, Iowa-based egg produced Wright County Eggs initiated a massive recall of its products due to fears of contamination. It recalled over 380 million pieces or 32 million dozen of eggs. There is a huge possibility that those eggs were contaminated by Salmonella virus which can infect humans. Salmonella is caused by bacteria that spreads the disease and can put the life of an infected person in peril.

In the month of May this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began noticing a sudden spurt in Salmonella infections. The number of cases further multiplied during the months of June and July prompting them to conduct an investigation. The massive recalls were already considered a failure by the government to effectively screen food and ensure safety. It also implies that millions of those potentially contaminated eggs were already found in grocery stores and even in households.

The pressure now lies on the U.S. Congress to implement a reform in the nation’s food safety system and submit the Food Safety Modernization Bill that will expand the authority of the FDA to inspect food processing facilities and keep unsafe food off grocery store shelves. It will also provide policies, procedures and funding that will further prevent any disease outbreaks in the future. The bill will still need to go through Pres. Obama though and will need his approval.

There are about 76 million cases of food borne illness each year resulting in 325 hospitalizations and 5000 deaths. Knowing that the food we are eating isn’t thoroughly checked for safety standards is already a primary cause of concern for consumers. It is the full the responsibility of the government to check these food processing companies so they will only produce clean, safe and healthy food. By implementing the Food Safety Modernization Bill, we will be able to prevent future outbreaks and maintain the high quality of food that is served in every household.