Eating Dangerously: Why the Government Can't Keep Your Food Safe…and How You Can

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in six Americans gets sick from food-borne illnesses each year. Of these, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die. Coauthors Booth and Brown, investigative reporters for The Denver Post, explain why these numbers are so high and provide advice that will help readers to avoid contributing to these alarming statistics. The authors begin by describing the scope and magnitude of ailments in the United States in a section that reads like a 60 Minutes exposé: vivid descriptions of people falling ill, a global food market with inconsistent international standards, and inadequate, sometimes nonexistent, government inspections. What follows this account is common-sense advice for consumers. This segment explains how to choose, handle, and prepare food safely and how to identify the riskiest ingredients (as well as reduce their potential harm). Then the authors examine the intersection between food technology and safety, providing an excellent analysis of arguments and evidence for and against genetically modified products; and discuss the relationship between food safety and local and/or organic fare. Also included is an overview of various food-borne illnesses, including information on transmission, symptoms, treatment, and complications. The book concludes with a handy summary of tips for staying protected.