There is a vocal food movement claiming that raw milk is healthier and safer than pasteurized milk. Anyone making these claims ignores the extensive scientific literature focusing on the risks of consuming raw milk, especially for infants, children and aging adults who have weaker immune systems and are therefore more likely to suffer severe illness.
Pasteurization, which destroys pathogens, is one of public health’s most effective food safety interventions. We urge all consumers to buy only pasteurized milk and dairy products.
According to the CDC, 38% of infants in the U.S. rely on infant formula for some or all of their nutrition. In response to illness outbreaks linked to powdered infant formula, STOP is advocating for policies that better ensure the safety of a food product that families depend on every day.
Infant formula is a safe, widely used source of nutrition for millions of babies in the United States. Formula supports healthy growth and development. However, like other powdered foods, powdered infant formula can pose health risks if contaminated—most notably by Cronobacter or Clostridium botulinum.
Over 8 billion chickens and turkeys are eaten each year, making poultry the most consumed protein in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Salmonella from all sources is responsible for over 1.3 million illnesses annually.
From this overall number, FSIS estimates that there are 125,115 chicken-associated and 42,669 turkey-associated foodborne Salmonella illnesses per year. CDC also estimates that a minimum of 1 in 25 packages of poultry sold in the grocery store is contaminated with Salmonella. We believe the poultry industry and the federal government can and should do better.
The burden of illness associated with E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria in fresh produce is the most significant and disruptive food safety problem still affecting the U.S. food system.
Fresh produce is also the one food category experts urge consumers to eat more of as part of healthy diets that can prevent chronic disease. The continuing illness outbreaks associated with fresh produce undercut this “eat more” message by reducing consumer confidence and disrupting markets for growers, retailers, and consumers.
The recall system in the U.S. was developed to inform consumers. Sadly, the system has not changed in over 30 years, and it does not provide timely, actionable, and easily accessible information for consumers.
STOP began convening a multi-faceted stakeholder working group on this issue in September 2020 and continues to pursue systemic changes throughout both the FDA and USDA systems.
The 2022 powdered infant formula contamination, recall and subsequent shortage was a ‘perfect storm’ that exposed the dysfunction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Along with our coalition partners, STOP began calling upon the FDA Commissioner to fix the deficiencies within the agency including appointing a fully empowered Deputy Commissioner of Human Foods who has food safety experience and uniting all aspects of human foods in which the FDA regulates. We want and NEED the agency to be poised for the future to protect public health.
