Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration economist, Robert L. Scharff, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and food-safety experts will discuss the Produce Safety Project 's new report, Health-Related Costs from Foodborne Illness in the United States. According to a press release, the report finds that foodborne illnesses cost the United States billions of dollars each year.
The release of the report comes as the U.S. Senate may soon vote on comprehensive food-safety legislation. The U.S. House of Representatives passed its food-safety bill (H.R. 2749) last July, and late in 2009, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions unanimously approved the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510).
Speakers:
- Erik Olson (moderator), Director, Food and Consumer Product Safety, the Pew Health Group
- Robert L. Scharff, Assistant Professor, Department of Consumer Sciences, The Ohio State University
- Jim O'Hara, Director, Produce Safety Project
- U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
WHEN: Tuesday, March 2, 11 a.m. EST
CONTACTS: Reporters can request an embargoed version of the report from Liz Gary at 202-478-6148 or lgary@mrss.com. To RSVP for the telebriefing, contact Gary or Paula Chrin at 202-478-6138 or pchrin@mrss.com for call-in information.
About the Produce Safety Project:
The Produce Safety Project at Georgetown University seeks the establishment by the Food and Drug Administration of mandatory and enforceable safety standards for domestic and imported fresh produce, from farm to fork. Our families need to have confidence that federal food-safety regulation is based on prevention, scientifically sound risk assessment and management, and coordinated, integrated data collection.
Groups involved in this effort include: American Public Health Association, Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of American, Consumers Union, Food & Water Watch, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Safe Tables Our Priority, and Trust for America's Health.