Food-borne illness prevention efforts plateauing.
As reported in the media today CDC has released data showing that reports of food borne Illness are level. This is an under reported phenomenon, just as are reports of STDs. The reported data shows that millions of people are affected annually, thousands hospitalized and several thousand die. Yet, despite these numbers there is little likelihood any improvement will occur. Food poisoning is common. Politicians get more credit for fighting the very rare such as ‘mad cow’ diseases which have affected a few hundred people worldwide, and only one or two in the USA. Just as Congress is considering loading tobacco control onto the FDA, the FDA and department of agriculture, as well as state public health and agriculture agencies lack staff for effective control of current programs such as food poisoning prevention. Congress will lambast beleaguered federal agencies which can only provide data (or spin if you prefer) but not criticize Congress or the Executive branch while they endure criticism. You have to have a very thick skin to be a federal agency manager.
