Does the United States have a food security problem?

Food recalls have recently hit big brands, from Boar’s Head to McDonald’s, but experts say there’s no need to panic – at least not yet.

Although some food recalls don’t receive much publicity, several recent high-profile outbreaks involving organic carrots, chopped onions and liverwurst have raised concerns about food safety in the United States. However, Food and Drug Administration data shows no major increase in food recalls, most of which are issued voluntarily by companies.

Despite this, foodborne illnesses like E. coli and listeria have sickened hundreds of Americans this year and some have died. And experts say trying to spot trends in food safety is a tricky task. Here’s why.

More food recalls might not be so bad

While the idea of an increase in food recalls seems worrying, it might just mean that health authorities and food producers are better able to identify outbreaks quickly.

New tools, like whole genome sequencing, allow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alongside local authorities, to more quickly genetically link outbreaks to the microorganism that makes people sick, said Don Schaffner, director of the department of food sciences at Rutgers University. .

Public health officials can then quickly ask people about what they ate weeks ago to track down the exact source of the outbreak.

There are more foodborne illness outbreaks than people talk about, according to Craig Hedberg, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. When they do occur, improvements in surveillance and public health laboratories make it possible to find them quickly. This appears to be the case during recent outbreaks.

“As these outbreaks were identified and investigated, it was clear that the public could take action,” he said. “When this happens, there is a strong public interest in communicating to the public what they need to do to protect themselves.”

Foodborne illnesses are not constant

Just like other disease outbreaks, there is an element of chance in how foodborne illnesses spread.

“You had three significant outbreaks in a fairly short period of time – right next to each other – but that could just be chance,” Schaffner, a food microbiologist, told USA TODAY.

Meanwhile, what and how people eat continues to evolve, presenting different opportunities for the spread of foodborne illnesses and new challenges for those trying to stop them.

More and more people are spending on foods prepared outside the home, such as at restaurants or on ready-to-eat foods. Darin Detwiler, a food safety expert and professor at Northeastern University, said that means there are more food safety gaps with more ingredients in products consumed. Food comes from further afield, travels greater distances and, in turn, requires more processing steps.

“Even the biggest companies run into problems they can’t control,” Detwiler said. “Some of these cases are not overnight problems. »

Several agencies responsible for food safety

To ensure food safety, the United States relies on a patchwork system of food regulation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services handles meat and poultry, while the FDA is responsible for almost everything else, including recalls. In the event of an outbreak, the CDC works with local health departments to investigate outbreaks.

Meanwhile, food producers themselves should self-monitor, experts told USA TODAY.

And what happens if a foodborne illness slips through the cracks? That’s where the civil justice system comes in, said Timothy Lytton, regent professor at Georgia State College of Law. Sick people file lawsuits holding retailers, wholesalers and restaurants liable for the products, sparking even more scrutiny.

Businesses get insurance to pay for that, and insurers don’t want to pay damages, Lytton said. These insurance companies often help provide guidance, assistance and incentives to reduce the risk of illness from food products.

How to protect yourself from foodborne illness

There are steps people can take at home to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. To get started, follow recall information and check pantries and refrigerators.

Simple steps start with washing your hands with soap and water.

Rinsing fresh produce and removing areas where bacteria can grow more easily – such as in carrot crevices or wilted, broken lettuce leaves – can also protect people. This includes bags indicating they have been washed three times. Additionally, people should be careful not to cross-contaminate cutting boards or utensils; If they use a cutting board to cut raw meat, they should not use the same board and knife to chop fruits or vegetables.

With leftovers, be sure to refrigerate well and do not let items sit.