Only a cooperative approach that integrates research, public health regulation, and education can lead to the formulation of effective policy that meets everyone's needs. Second, we must work to ensure that all food safety policies are based on sound scientific principles. Speculative or incomplete scientific research may be good for grabbing headlines, but it's a terrible basis for policy and regulation. That's why it is so important for those who conduct scientific research on behalf of the public to ensure that research is sound and reliable. Third, we must continue to educate the public about all aspects of food safety, from the testing we do at USDA, to safe handling practices for consumers.
People are naturally quite concerned about the safety of the food they eat.
And while the general public cannot be expected to become food safety experts, it is certainly possible for them to understand the basic issues. A well educated public is better prepared to assess the validity of claims they may hear in the media, and to reject false or misleading information. And a well educated public will hold more realistic views of the safety of the food supply, and therefore be more confident in the food they buy and eat. This kind of public education is not always easy. Because both have dominated headlines in recent weeks, the two diseases have become confused in the public mind.