Deviled Eggs? Eggs, greens among riskiest foods overseen by FDA
Think you're safe eating foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration? Think again, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit health advocacy group. What many consumers consider healthy foods -- including eggs and leafy greens -- are implicated in 40% of food-related outbreaks linked to FDA-regulated food, the Washington, D.C.-based CSPI says in a new study.
The watchdog group, which based its findings on outbreak data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1990 to 2006, says the list of the 10 foods should sound an alarm to consumers and legislators because of the presence of so many healthy foods, ranging from tomatoes to sprouts.
"Many of the foods that made the list are a part of a healthy and balanced diet," said CSPI staff attorney Sarah Klein on a conference call to discuss the findings. "Leafy greens are unfortunately no stranger to food-borne illness. The most common path are Norovirus, E. coli and Salmonella."
The report from the CSPI, known for bringing the public's attention to food issues such as the health dangers of trans fats, comes days after the New York Times highlighted the dangers of hamburger meat and the flaws in beef inspection. Some readers decided to swear off hamburgers for good after seeing the piece, writes WalletPop sister publication Daily Finance.
More than 1,500 separate outbreaks were linked to the foods on the CSPI's list, which has led to almost 50,000 reported illnesses. The top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the FDA are, in order of the most outbreaks:
- leafy greens
- eggs
- tuna
- oysters
- potatoes
- cheese
- ice cream
- tomatoes
- sprouts
- berries
The report doesn't differentiate between organic and non-organic foods, although the CSPI believes the risks are fairly similar, said Caroline Smith DeWaal, the director of the group's food safety program, on the call. It also didn't include meat, because the FDA doesn't regulate the meat industry, she said.
So what should consumers do? Proper food handling and safety measures are important in home kitchens, ranging from cooking eggs thoroughly to taking care potatoes aren't contaminated by other food. Because potatoes are always cooked, which would eliminate any pathogen, the reason why potatoes are linked to food-borne illnesses is likely from cross-contamination, DeWaal said.
And the report underscores the need for the passage of the Food Safety Enhancement Act, the CSPI said. The Senate should take the lead of the House and pass the legislation, which would give the FDA authority to require food processors to implement food safety plans and increase frequency of inspections.
Despite the call for change, food system in the U.S. remains relatively safe, said Dr. Craig Hedberg, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, on the call. Still, food-borne illness is "a major health concern," he added.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
10-06-2009 @ 9:23PM
undrgrndgirl said...
the fda needs to be abolished it no longer serves its purpose or the people...it is are bought and paid for by big phrama, big agra and big food...
Reply
10-07-2009 @ 11:54AM
Frank said...
It (FDA) does not need to be abolished it just needs to do it's job! The lazy federal employees sit in their offices instead of being out on the line doing the needed testing!
10-07-2009 @ 2:59PM
jim said...
ditto
10-07-2009 @ 3:07PM
jim said...
DITTO
10-07-2009 @ 4:23PM
John said...
Scandal with Michelle Obama!!! http://tr.im/typU
10-07-2009 @ 4:44PM
t.t. said...
Then we should abolish Congress too!
10-07-2009 @ 5:33PM
CINDI said...
YOU ARE SOOOOOOO RIGHT.
10-07-2009 @ 9:02PM
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10-07-2009 @ 9:58PM
Mark said...
WTF is "pharma?"
10-11-2009 @ 9:59AM
King David said...
One can not just abolish something and leave a vacuum. Also, when one shoots off their mouth they should have enough ammunition to back themselves up. So, what is YOUR solution??? -- your SPEEDY solution???
10-08-2009 @ 11:33AM
Darlene said...
I would just like to say... Every where we turn America wants us to be healthy eaters but if you look at the list of all the foods that get contaminated they are what is healthy to eat so America needs to figure something out to protect us from this so we wont be afraid to eat healthy foods.
Reply
10-07-2009 @ 1:00PM
alley b. said...
that is very true..i highly agree..
10-07-2009 @ 2:37PM
Kathleen said...
To start with we can look at what we are putting in the air. Sound ridiculous? Where do you thing the pollutants go when it rains - a requirement for food to grow? Into the soil and up thru the root system. And we need to stop buying produce from 3rd world countried (Mexico, for example) as they use sewage water and allow farm animals to use the same irrigation ditches that provide water to the farms. Again, up thru the root system.
10-07-2009 @ 2:48PM
J Whitton said...
There is a plan and people in business, hospitals, and the home ignore. It's called sanitation.
10-07-2009 @ 5:14PM
greg said...
Our healthy produce is contaminated by the runoff from the farms raising livestock.they are diseased animals and have ecoli because they feed them corn(cows are grass eaters)but corn is cheap and subsidized by the govornment.Vegetarianism!!!
10-08-2009 @ 9:04AM
Joe said...
Well, rather than "letting" other do the fixing for you, why don't people begin by just eating "somewhat" health foods and above all, get out and do something! Go for walks or a hike in the woods, play some sports on a regular basis. There are a ton of physical things people can do that is a whole lot better for you than just eating the "right things". Of course we all have to be smart about our food choices but above all, being physical and dong things, getting that heart rate up there for a while, is above all the most important thing we ALL can do for ourselves. oh yeah, one other thing....STOP worrying so damn much, especially about things we can't control. Go get that blood pumping and have a great day! : )
10-07-2009 @ 11:24AM
Elizabeth said...
The only plausible answer is to grow your own produce and know your supplier, preferably a small one.
Reply
10-07-2009 @ 2:04PM
Tanya said...
absolutely grow ur own I am going to start My mom and dad always grew our food and we lived in the city they just bought a vacant lot next door to our house and planted what we liked we gave away what we didn't use and maybe this would even be an answer to people starving----since there is always an abundance. --eat fresh, freeze for the winter and give to the poor! STAY HEALTHY
10-07-2009 @ 1:02PM
Ann said...
I was beginning to be glad that I'm a vegetarian, until leafy veggies and eggs were included in the list. This is absolutely scary. Shall we fast until there is a better program that eliminates toxic foods?
ann
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 8:57AM
Joe said...
Come on Ann, you can't be serious...are you? I mean after all, when we go and buy anything from the store that need to be kept cold or warm, anything that can spoil we take a chance (small as it may be) that we can get sick from a certain food that hasn't been handled right. There is no need to get upset or even worry about those things becuase the fact is, it's beyond your control. We can only look and do our little tests to see if it's fresh (as we all should do) but after that, we still are taking a chance. Even growing your own food, be it plants or animals, wont make things 100% for us, there's always a chance we'll get sick from something that we eat. So relax some huh...eat well and stay health and above all, stop WORRYING SO MUCH! : )