The Food and Drug Administration says Americans don’t need to worry about their dinner tables this Thanksgiving.
Despite several recent outbreaks and recalls, the agency says the U.S. food supply is still one of the safest in the world. From organic carrots to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders, the U.S. has seen a number of foodborne outbreaks this year.
William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist, and Lee-Ann Jaykus, a food science expert, say our food supply isn’t in jeopardy.
“The U.S. food supply is the safest in the world,” said Schaffner.
“I would say that the food supply is certainly secure,” added Jaykus.
Schaffner said a big reason the supply is safe is because of advancements in technology. Researchers can now take microbiological fingerprints of specific E. coli, salmonella, or listeria cases and track where they came from.
“Our improvement in technology has really helped keep our food supply even safer than it was 20 years ago,” said Schaffner.
Francisco Diez, a food science expert, said his opinion remains split. He feels there’s no way to prove the U.S. is the safest.
“I don’t think that we have any way to claim that position because there are many other countries in the world,” Diez said.
However, he does agree that the U.S. is leading the way in tracking outbreaks.
“We are a country that has the tools to be able to report those cases,” said Diez.
According to data cited by the FDA, high-risk recalls were not unusually high this past year, coming in at 179 compared to 145 in 2023. This is another reason why Jaykus believes there should be no major concern about the food supply.
“Statistically speaking and practically speaking, as safe as it’s always been,” said Jaykus.
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