Food safety becomes an election issue as major outbreaks and recalls cause concern

TL;DR

A massive foodborne outbreak and subsequent recalls have made food safety a major topic of national conversation and a political cause.
Democrats are using food safety concerns to criticize Republican policies and urge voters to remove them in the midterms.
The Trump administration counters by accusing Democrats of exaggerating food safety issues for political gain.
Public confidence in government oversight of food safety is low, with a high percentage of adults concerned about the frequency of recalls.
While the total number of recalls is comparable to previous years, the number of Class I recalls (highest risk) has increased over a broader time span.
Epidemiologists suggest that the number of people sickened is a better measure of food safety than recall numbers, and this summer's cyclospora outbreak was exceptionally large.
The administration asserts that food recalls are at historic lows, a claim questioned by some food safety experts who point to data that includes non-food items.
Administration initiatives, such as easing regulations for small livestock operations and importing more beef from certain countries, have raised concerns among food safety leaders.

Continuar leyendo el artículo original