An investigative story exceeding 2,800 words on the CNN website reports on “serious gaps in the federal food safety net meant to protect American consumers of fresh produce, a system that results in few or no government inspections of farms and with only voluntary guidelines of how fresh produce can be kept safe.” The piece details the 2011 listeriosis outbreak, which it says was “the most deadly food outbreak in the United States in nearly 100 years,” although it “could have been prevented, according to numerous food safety experts and federal health officials.” CNN highlights that while “the federal Food Safety Modernization Act became law last year, and the FDA is currently writing new regulations to increase food inspections and push for better audits,” officials note that “farms might only be inspected once every seven to 10 years,” and “consumer advocates doubt the new law is likely to solve all the problems in the system.”
From the American Association for Justice press release.
