How Safe Is Your Food?

According to a recent CBS poll, most Americans are only somewhat confident that they are buying safe food. While only one in four would give the country a grade of D or F on ensuring the safety of the food supply, few would give the country an A either. How safe you feel about the food you buy has something to do with what food you can afford. Americans with higher levels of income and education are more confident in the safety of the food they buy then are those with lower incomes and less education. The data speaks for itself:

GRADE ON ENSURING FOOD SAFETY
A: 7%
B: 33%
C: 34%
D: 18%
F: 6%

HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT THE FOOD YOU BUY IS SAFE?
Very confident 32%
Somewhat confident 52%
Not too/at all confident 16%

With the multi-state outbreak of E. Coli infections due to E. coli occurring just after this poll was taken, confidence in our nation's food is now likely lower than the report indicates. That outbreak resulted in 21 ill in 16 states, including 1 in Washington.

Vegans aren't safe either. White Truffle Pâté, a vegan pâté produced in Seattle by the Field Roast Grain Meat Company, is being recalled because it contains pistachios that are potentially contaminated with Salmonella.

Many Americans don't want to know the processes involved in getting food from the farm to the table, especially when it comes to meat. But as unpleasant as the details might be, we need more transparency between government, industry, and the consuming public.