Concern about our safety skyrockets during a shocking TV expos documenting the mishandling of our food by someone employed in the food industry, but in my opinion we are much more likely to encounter food poisoning in our own or a friend's home than in a commercial establishment. Yes, statistics say that food poisoning at home accounts for 20 percent of the reported cases, second to the 80 percent of incidents related to food industry meal preparation. However, the statistics on this subject cannot be taken at face value.
People are more likely to report food poisoning from a commercial source.
Most people don't recognize food poisoning due to their own or a friend's food preparation. If we recognize food poisoning from home preparation, we are unlikely to report it. After all, hopefully we've learned our lesson by recognizing it as food poisoning due to our mishandling. Given this, it is amazing to me that even 20 percent of the reported food poisoning incidents are related to home preparation. So we are back to the fact that every person in the food production and distribution systems, from the producer to the packer to us, has a significant responsibility to ensure food safety.