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The scandal of salmonella-tainted peanut butter which led to 125 product recalls, hundreds of illnesses, and 6 deaths, has also sparked action on Capitol Hill. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro recently introduced House Resolution 875, the Food Safety Modernization Act, which would, among other things, create a new Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services. The food industry opposes the House bill, but supports a Senate bill with a similar name, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which was introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Dick Durbin. The salmonella-peanut butter scandal in late 2008/early 2009 resulted in one of the largest food recalls in US history and comes on the heels of a number of tainted food scandals over the past several years including spinach and beef. The recalls have started to have a serious impact on the public’s trust of an industry that seems more intent on preserving its bottom line, than on consumer health.

GUEST: Tony Corbo, Legislative Analyst with Food and Water Watch

For more information, visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org.