Food safety is an issue that needs the attention of everyone involved in the food system.
Food safety education should be a high priority for producers, processors, government regulators, food handlers, food retailers, and consumers. For this reason, we now have a unique opportunity to foster the development of a food safety education partnership, which not only provides safer food but also strengthens consumers' confidence in our nation's food supply. Government, agriculture, industry, academia, and consumers must work together on the issue of food safety. The economic impact of foodborne illness, in terms of medical care, lost wages and associated costs, is clearly in the billions of dollars per year. Foodborne illness is more than just an occasional minor digestive upset.