Hy-Vee Inc., a Midwestern supermarket chain, experienced every grocer's nightmare when one person died and several others were sickened by contaminated deli meat sold at one of its Minnesota stores. Some have started selling irradiated products, an idea consumers so far seem reluctant to accept.
Irradiation has to be one of the answers.
Pearson is incoming chairman of the industry's Food Marketing Institute. About 76 million cases of food-borne illness are diagnosed nationwide each year, resulting in 5,000 deaths and 325,000 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To avoid contaminating ground beef, grocers have started buying meat prepackaged by the packer rather than grinding it in the store. That eliminates employee handling that can spread germs. Grocery chains are also inspecting handling practices of produce suppliers.