Whether we walk into a five-star, buffet style, or fast food restaurant, we have an expectation that what we consume is nourishing us, not something that is sending us to a hospital. With more cases of foodborne illnesses popping up almost weekly, the Agriculture Appropriations Committee felt that the FDA needed an increase in spending to improve food safety.

In early 2016, we saw the House of Representatives release a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through the end of the 2016 fiscal year. Included in this bill was a $104.5-million-dollar increase in food safety activities, which is part of the $2.72 billion in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) discretionary funding.

The Ongoing Foodborne Saga

Foodborne illness is common and costly yet a very preventable public health problem. The CDC reports that reducing foodborne illness by 10% would keep five million Americans from getting sick each year. Here are just a few examples of some of these outbreaks.

1. As of November 19, 2015, more than 45 people in six states had been infected with the outbreak strain of STEC 026, and much of that linked to a recent E. coli outbreak at a well-known chain restaurant.
2. In late 2015, the CDC reported a multi-state outbreak of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157: H7 infectionslinked to chicken salad from a well-known big box store chain.
3. In early 2015, a leading ice cream producer reported listeria in their ice cream, which resulted in a massive recall that brought unwanted attention to the century-old Texas ice cream Like many organizations that have faced similar situations, they hired a team of microbiologists, cleaned and sanitized their systems, increased employee training, and plan to test all product before shipment to food retailers. Also like so many companies before them, this ice cream producer — for the first time in 108 years — had to make the difficult decision to lay off 37% of their workforce due to this single situation involving a foodborne illness.

The Ongoing Solution

Food safety responsibility is critical to all aspects of the food value chain — from the growers, distributors, and suppliers to retailers, restaurants, and other institutions serving food products. But often the heaviest impact of a recall or outbreak is not at the food supplier or grower but at the point of purchase.

“Reducing foodborne illness by 10% would keep five million Americans from getting sick each year.” – Center for Disease Control

Proactive vendors operate from a strategic compliance model, including strict policies and processes for regular food safety audits and supply chain inspections. These organizations are more likely to mitigate exposure while at the same time protecting their brand and profitability. Going digital and using the type of tools that RizePoint provides can help you track and manage hundreds of suppliers, making sure you and your suppliers are always striving for best practice in food safety.

Preserving customer trust is much better than trying to regain it.