The USDA came out with some startling news today. An audit by their Office of the Inspector General found that the food on our grocery shelves may contain pesticides, antibiotics, animal medicines, and heavy metals such as copper. What makes it worse is that their maybe no existing standards regarding what levels of these contaminants are allowed under EPA and FDA regulations.
According to a USAToday article by Peter Eisler entitled “’Growing Concern’ Over Marketing Tainted Beef,” the regulation of food contaminants is, to say the least, inadequate. The EPA is responsible for setting contaminant “tolerance levels” in regards to pollutants and pesticides while the FDA regulates levels of antibiotics and other medicines. The lack of existing “tolerance levels” means that even if some of these unsavory substances are found in our foods, the FSIS, who tests cattle for contaminants, is unable to do anything about it.
Some of the contaminants specifically mentioned in the report include:
Whatever these contaminants are, I don’t want them in my food. The fact that governmental agencies have not set limits regarding the inclusion of these substances in food hitting market shelves is shocking. Legislation and adaptation of current FDA as well as EPA standards is needed and it is needed quickly. Producers are expected to provide food products which are free from bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. There is no reason that we as consumers cannot expect our food to also be free from heavy metals and medicinal byproducts. We will continue to follow the progress made by the FDA, the EPA and legislators in improving the safety of our nation’s food supply. Stay tuned to this blog.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2010
