One of the nation’s largest food contamination outbreaks erupted recently with the discovery of salmonella poisoning in peanut products. Nearly 700 people fell ill in 45 states and at least nine people died. In addition to the cost in lives, food manufacturers, retailers and farmers lost hundreds of millions of dollars. It is now clear that the company responsible for the outbreak ignored test reports of contamination and knowingly shipped tainted products.

This latest outbreak follows other large-scale contaminations of hot peppers (a problem initially attributed to tomatoes), spinach and cantaloupes that have alarmed the public and angered policy makers. Some experts estimate that food poisoning causes 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths annually, and may contribute to chronic long-term disease in more than one million Americans.

Through its food safety initiatives, Pew addresses a variety of threats to the nation’s food supply. These include preventing contamination of domestically produced fruits and vegetables, ensuring the safety of imported foods and improving the surveillance systems that alert consumers to food-borne illness outbreaks. We support the Food and Drug Administration’s establishment of mandatory and enforceable food safety laws.