Food Safety Gets the Short End of the Stick (Again) | Episode 62

Don't Eat Poop! A Food Safety Podcast

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are talking about the very concerning fact that the FDA is considering cutting funding for state food inspection programs, which is how a big part of the country’s inspections happen. As usual, food safety is not being prioritized by the government, in fact, it’s being put last.

Tune in as Matt and Francine try to understand why this budget cut involved inspections and audits and as they contemplate the possible (and scary) consequences of getting rid of these inspection programs by removing their funds.

You will also hear a story from Francine’s book ‘Who Watches the Kitchen?’. It is truly one of the craziest things that’s ever happened to her while she was doing an inspection, and trust us there have been many.

In this episode:

💩 [03:59] The FDA is recommending cutting the funding for state food inspection programs

💩 [05:13] Food safety gets the short end of the stick again

💩 [07:16] Food safety is a universal conversation we should all be having

💩 [09:16] The reasoning behind the cut and what it signals to the industry

💩 [14:01] The value and importance of third-party food safety inspections

💩 [18:09] Alternatives for the FDA if current audits aren’t working

💩 [22:44] The shortage of auditors and inspectors

💩 [27:11] Is auditing going away? The scary alternatives

💩 [28:33] Running for politics to fix food safety issues

💩 [31:44] Little legs all over the floor: one of the craziest things that’s ever happened to Francine when she was doing an inspection

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

For more stories like the one Francine shared today, check out her book ‘Who Watches the Kitchen?’ on Amazon.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode
“People eat every single day. And when people eat, they don't want to get sick and they definitely do not want to die. So, this is a universal conversation.” – Matthew Regusci

“[Food Safety]’s one of those things that doesn't affect you until it affects you. Until you get sick and it affects you for the rest of your life or until your mother or your aunt or your child gets sick and it affects you for the rest of your life.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!
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Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon!
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