American Meat Institute’s (AMI) President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle debated author Eric Schlosser on CNBC’s Street Signs regarding the safety and integrity of the U.S. meat supply.
Boyle debated Schlosser on the inaccuracies and misrepresentations in his recent book, "Chew on This." The book, aimed at young adults, is based on his earlier book "Fast Food Nation," which will be released as a fictionalized movie later this year. Both books are critical of the U.S. packing industry and question the process by which meat safety is evaluated.
While Schlosser would not go so far as to say that the meat supply is unsafe, he insisted that the packing industry could do a "much better job of food safety." Mr. Boyle countered by offering government statistics indicating continued reductions in foodborne pathogens.
[Ed. Data reported by CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) indicate significant declines in the estimated incidences of Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli O157 and Yersinia when comparing 2005 data with baseline data collected in 1996 – 1998. FoodNet collects data from 10 U.S. states regarding diseases caused by enteric pathogens transmitted commonly through food. FoodNet quantifies and monitors the incidence of these infections by conducting active, population-based surveillance for laboratory-confirmed illness.]
You can view the five and a half minute interview at CNBC.
Source:
American Meat Institute