Most Americans Worry About Food Safety

Government officials have said for years that the U.S. has the safest food supply in the world. But recent events aren't doing much to inspire confidence in that mantra.

Recalls of tainted lettuce, ground beef laced with dangerous E. coli 0157:H7 strain, and the giant oil spill in the Gulf, have dented the public's perception of food safety.

According to a national survey conducted for NPR by Thomson Reuters and released today, 61 percent are concerned about contamination of the food supply. Most of them — 51 percent — worry most about meat.

That doesn't stop us from consuming about 63 pounds of beef per person per year, mind you. But meat safety is a big concern compared with the 25 percent of people who worry most about seafood and the 23 percent who fret most about produce. Dairy got a pretty low 4 percent response.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: National Public Radio.