Food Contaminants Over the past few years, concerns about food contamination have surfaced in the minds of the American population. Food contaminants and their subsequent health effects have been documented plaguing humanity since the Roman Empire. The public needs to be educated about food contaminants, their effect on the body, and the need for regulation. The term ‘food contaminant’ is broad and covers many different substances and sources. Common contaminants include bacteria, chemicals, and environmental contaminants, such as lead or arsenic. Chemicals and hormones used in the production of goods also threatens food safety (“Environmental Contaminants and Food Safety” 1). Although some foods do contain natural toxins, many of these contaminants
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Although the FDA regulates domestic and imported food products, the process itself has come under scrutiny in past years. Most of the foods that Americans eat today are genetically modified, commonly referred to as GMO. The effects of these genetically modified organisms on the body have not been studied specifically by the FDA, therefore they are not regulated and labelled like other foods. Many believe that this is because the FDA has employed people with job history at major GMO companies, creating a conflict of interest. Citizens have recently pushed for labeling or ‘right to know’ laws similar to those that exist in the European Union. In early 2014, the Natural Resources Defense Council conducted a study in which they found that “eighteen livestock drugs that the FDA had deemed ‘high risk’ for exposing humans to antibiotic-resistant bacteria were still on the market” (“FDA allowed use of ‘high risk’ antibiotics in meat industry, watchdog group says” 1). This is a major concern for public health and safety as creating new antibiotics is difficult, expensive and “eliminating resistance is impossible” (“Overuse of Antibiotics in Livestock Results in Resistant Strains” 1). Increased regulation is needed to keep American food supplies healthy and
Although the FDA regulates domestic and imported food products, the process itself has come under scrutiny in past years. Most of the foods that Americans eat today are genetically modified, commonly referred to as GMO. The effects of these genetically modified organisms on the body have not been studied specifically by the FDA, therefore they are not regulated and labelled like other foods. Many believe that this is because the FDA has employed people with job history at major GMO companies, creating a conflict of interest. Citizens have recently pushed for labeling or ‘right to know’ laws similar to those that exist in the European Union. In early 2014, the Natural Resources Defense Council conducted a study in which they found that “eighteen livestock drugs that the FDA had deemed ‘high risk’ for exposing humans to antibiotic-resistant bacteria were still on the market” (“FDA allowed use of ‘high risk’ antibiotics in meat industry, watchdog group says” 1). This is a major concern for public health and safety as creating new antibiotics is difficult, expensive and “eliminating resistance is impossible” (“Overuse of Antibiotics in Livestock Results in Resistant Strains” 1). Increased regulation is needed to keep American food supplies healthy and