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New report shows top 10 'riskiest foods' regulated by the FDA

Center for the Science in the Public Interest, public health experts, and the father of a victim of food-borne illness to discuss compelling findings

WHAT: On Tuesday, October 6, experts from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, as well as the father of a victim of foodborne illness will discuss the new CSPI report, "The Ten Riskiest Foods Regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration." The report details deadly outbreaks of foodborne illness stemming from contamination in FDA-regulated foods.

Many of the "FDA top ten" are, unfortunately, some of the most healthful and popular foods consumed in the U.S. And while some have traditionally been considered "high-risk" foods, others are surprising. Together, these ten foods alone account for nearly 40 percent of all foodborne-illness outbreaks linked to FDA-regulated foods in the U.S. This represents only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the tens of millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands of deaths that result each year from unsafe food.

WHO:
Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of the Food Safety Program at CSPI
Sarah Klein, staff attorney for CSPI
Dr. Craig Hedberg, professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Peter Hurley, the father of a victim of foodborne illness from Oregon
Erik Olson, director of food and consumer product safety for the Pew Health Group

WHEN: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
11:00 a.m. EST

RSVP: Contact Ben Grossman-Cohen, bgrossman-cohen@mrss.com, 202-478-6185 for call-in information

WHY: Every year, millions of Americans are sickened from consuming contaminated food – and thousands of these people die. Continued outbreaks of foodborne illness over the last several years – from spinach to peppers to peanut products – have demonstrated that these outbreaks are not random, unpreventable occurrences, but are due to widespread problems with our food safety system. Our current system is broken and has been in need of reform for decades. This year, Congress has the opportunity to change course and help protect children, the elderly and all others from foodborne illness.

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