Is Your Food Safe?

Foodborne illnesses said to be on the rise.
In her "Informed Patient" column in the Wall Street Journal (2/16), Lauren Landro notes the numerous reports of foodborne illness outbreaks in the last few weeks. According to the FDA, the increase is likely due in part to better surveillance and improved detection measures, although lax safety standards in other countries and an increasing consumer demand for less-processed foods may also be to blame. Landro notes the pending food-safety legislation and quotes Sandra Eskin, director of the food safety campaign at the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts, who warns, "Without a modernized law there is only so much we can do as consumers to protect ourselves." The Wall Street Journal (2/16, Landro) also previews the column in its "Health Blog."