WASHINGTON -- The so called "Food Police" compiled a new list of the top 10 foods most likely to make you sick.
The
Center for Science in the Public Interest studied 17 years of food disease outbreaks. They reached the troubling conclusion that the Food and Drug Administration needs to be a more aggressive watchdog.
"The bottom line here is that we don't want consumers to change their eating habits. We do want the government and scientists to take note," says Caroline Smith DeWaal for Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Researchers came up with a top 10 list of riskiest foods monitored by the FDA.
1.
LEAFY GREENS: 363 outbreaks involving 13,568 reported cases of illness
2.
EGGS: 352 outbreaks involving 11,163 reported cases of illness
3.
TUNA: 268 outbreaks involving 2341 reported cases of illness
4.
OYSTERS: 132 outbreaks involving 3409 reported cases of illness
5.
POTATOES: 108 outbreaks involving 3659 reported cases of illness
6.
CHEESE: 83 outbreaks involving 2761 reported cases of illness
7.
ICE CREAM: 74 outbreaks involving 2594 reported cases of illness
8.
TOMATOES: 31 outbreaks involving 3292 reported cases of illness
9.
SPROUTS: 31 outbreaks involving 2022 reported cases of illness
10.
BERRIES: 25 outbreaks involving 3397 reported cases of illness
The study does not include beef and poultry because they're monitored by the Department of Agriculture.
The FDA's top food safety expert says this new report underscores the need for changes his agency doesn't have the authority to make right now.
"We're looking to Congress to enact laws that would really empower FDA to implement the kind of preventive controls across the whole food system that we know can reduce these outbreaks significantly," says Michael Taylor, the Senior Advisor to Commissioner of FDA.
A bill giving the FDA broader powers passed the house. The bill is currently working its way through the Senate.
To read the full study click here:
http://www.cspinet.org/new/200910061.html.
