Legislation May Protect Consumers From Tainted Food
I have been watching this peanut butter mess for some time now, and have gone back and forth several times to post on the story, but it keeps morphing into something bigger. Five hundred people are sick, and eight people are dead. And these are only the reported cases that we know about.
It turns out that Peanut Corporation of America knew it was sending contaminated product to companies making cookies and other snacks, some of which went to schools. This happened at least 12 times over the past two years. With a weakened FDA unable to enforce the regulations in place, thousands upon thousands of Americans are at risk of illness from contaminated food entering the market place. Remember tainted spinach, lettuce, beef, and pet food?
Congressman John Dingall recently introduced a new statute, the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act. This law adds regulatory teeth to the FDA's enforcement powers, giving the agency the power to better regulate the food industry. But it also allows victims of food contamination to have their day in court, making food producers accountable for the food they sell and profit from.
You hear a lot about too many lawsuits, but sometimes I wonder if there are not enough. Obviously, the only thing some of these companies understand is the bottom line, and knowing that they can be taken to task will go a long way toward dissuading a company from sending tainted food to school children.
Other Helpful Links:
Consumer Union Statement Supporting FDA Globalization Act
American Association for Justice Press Release
