• providing training; and
• providing resources (e.g., hand sinks, soap, and towels). (Ibid)
A single mishap by a single person, can lead to the deaths of thousands and involve recalling millions of pounds of food product, and generate millions in lost wages, lost income and, even worse, loss of life. This can be mitigated however, if we create a regulatory and corporate culture which respects proper sanitation, food handling and food processing procedure.
People must be motivated to follow these procedures. Richard H. Linton, PhD, professor of food science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, notes that:
Many companies have encouraged their employees to follow safe food handling practices by offering job-related opportunities and financial incentives, as well as team rewards and recognition. “I’ve seen some companies that have been completely transformed by very easy incentives of just providing recognition for a job well done in the focus on food safety,” he says. (Ibid)
We need to open our eyes and look at our real vulnerabilities. One careless or directed Typhoid Mary in our food production industry is just as dangerous as the terrorist that our "shoe police" are trying to keep out of the country. Congress needs to put teeth, personnel and passion into our food safety network.
