Sick from Bad Food? Thank Big Food!

With the recent outbreak of Salmonella sweeping the country, one has to ask, "Why Don't They Know What's Causing the Sickness That's Killing Us"?

First it was suspected to be tomatoes. Now the investigators are targeting jalapeno peppers. But still, no definite answers.

Apparently, the FDA has limited tracking capabilities to determine the source of the bad food.

And why might that be? As they say..."Follow the Money".

According to this AP/MSNBC story, Food Industry Bitten By Its Lobbying Success" the money trail leads back to the Grocery Manufacturers Association and to other leading Big Food companies who used their profits to influence food safety legislation.

The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press.

The list of companies who attended White House meetings to put pressure to water-down food-terrorism regulations reads like a who's-who of Big Food:

• Kraft Foods Inc.;
• The Kroger Co.;
• Safeway Inc.;
• ConAgra Foods Inc.;
• The Procter & Gamble Co.;
• the American Forest and Paper Association;
• the Polystyrene Packaging Council; the Glass Packaging Institute;
• the Cocoa Merchants' Association of America;
• the World Shipping Council; and,
• the Food Marketing Institute.
  

The food groups also spent millions to defend its positions:

"The Grocery Manufacturers Association spent $2.6 million on lobbing in 2003 and 2004, the period when the FDA rules were under consideration, according to federal lobbying records. The Food Marketing Institute spent $1.7 million during the period. The figures were for all lobbying by the trade groups and on their behalf."

The Big Food companies keep more profits but millions are at risk with limited ability to track the source of the contaminated foods. And we the taxpayers get to pick up the bill trying to find out.

Great. And if this had been a purposeful attack on the country, then what? Not eat anything?

For more information on food safety, check out this site, www.foodsafety.gov

Source: MSNBC, FDA

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