Consumers and food safety

Clearly , consumers should be responsible for inspecting packages for visible evidence of tampering, microbial growth , or other contamination . Further, food should be stored and used , and the product should be served in such a way as to prevent microbiological growth and maintain a high-quality , safe product . However, it is ironic that we consumers see ourselves as having greater responsibility for food safety than either the government or the for industry since we frequently lack the tools and the skills to assess many crucial aspects of food safety .

For instance, most of us are unable to determine that our food is free of harmful bacteria that don't affect the color , flavor,  appearance of the food , such as the dangerous Listeria , radioactive elements such as strontium-90, or 3 excessive levels of pesticides or pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls.

Another irony is that many food safety problems are caused bu unsafe food practices in the home.

The government monitors the food supply to try to protect us from many of the hazardz we cannot detect.

Furthermore, both international and national scientific commissions try to evaluate the toxicity of chrinic and acute doses of substances that might exist naturally in food or might be added intentionally or inadvertently.

Who Is Responsible For Safe Food?

In this post I Want you know that food safety in the United States is regulated by both , the food industry and the government.

The food industry is very interested in ensuring that the food it sells is safe.

In doing so, its members are protecting their own self-interest as well as that of consumers

The reputation of a company as one that sells safe food is crucial for consumer confidence. Only one death from a can of food with botulism can wipe o a several million dollar corporation, even one with a long history.

To ensure safety, companies employ quality control experts, food chemist, and food microbiologists to continuously assess food safety.

Despite the industry's emphasis on food safety, only 8% of consumers, according to a survey by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) believed that food safety was a responsibility of food industry.

By statute, the government has been charged with ensuring the wholesomeness of the food supply. Yet 29% of consumers said that food safety was a responsibility of the government.

The government requested a more thorough look at food safety through a variety of its agencies which may increase the consumer confidence.

The survey showed that 48% of the consumers felt personally responsible for ensuring their own food safety.

The government monitors the food supply to try to protect us from many of the hazards we cannot detect.

Furthermore, both international and national scientific commissions try to evaluate the toxicity of chronic and acute doses of substances that might exist naturally in food or might be added intentionally or inadvertently.