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Ohio Consumer Group Calls For Stricter Food Safety Laws
By: Michael Locklear
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An Ohio consumer group says the implementation of stricter federal food safety laws has fallen short.
The Ohio Public Interest Research Group released a report Wednesday on the progress in reducing food recalls in the state and across the country.
Since the beginning of 2011, 27 Ohioans have gotten sick after eating food directly linked to recalls.
"We need the Food and Drug Administration to be given the funding they need to meet the requirements imposed by these new laws, and we also saw that even with the act that passed last year, the Food Safety and Inspection Service was not given any new power, any new funding to go after these types of food recalls, these types of foodborne illnesses. They need to be empowered to do a better job as well," said Tabitha Woodruff, a spokesperson for the research group.
The group calculated the cost of those food recalls in Ohio to be $1.5 million. That figure includes hospital bills, lost productivity and other factors.