Senators call for tighter food safety laws
Commentary from Lorraine Heller
A number of Democratic senators have called for the establishment of a joint task force to examine recent outbreaks of E.coli, and suggest legal changes designed to prevent future problems....
Produce has also been linked to previous foodborne disease outbreaks. In 2004, an outbreak of Hepatitis A was traced to lettuce and tomatoes in California. The outbreak made 14 people ill. In 2003, an outbreak of Hepatitis A in Pennsylvania was traced to green onions from a Chi-Chi's restaurant. The outbreak killed 4 people and sickened 600.
And although the FDA has issued voluntary food safety guidance to the produce industry over the years, these recent outbreaks indicate that this voluntary approach may be insufficient to protect the public, said the senators in their letter. Full story
