How safe will the U.S. food supply be?

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services seems a prime target for staff cuts these days and that raises questions about how safe our food supply will be going forward. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates food safety, is part of that department.

Take care buying food in the coming years, food safety may become a much larger issue than it has been.

“FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones’ abrupt resignation on Monday (Feb. 17) following the wholesale termination of thousands of employees across the Department of Health and Human Services late last week does not bode well for the Trump administration’s ability to “Make America Healthy Again” as promoted by recently appointed HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr, according to public health advocates,” reported Food Navigator USA on Feb. 19.

Jones oversaw something called the Humans Food Program within the FDA, which had been looking at safety issues involving food additives. But 89 employees in that program were lied off recently, prompting Jones to resign.

The number of food recalls seems to be increasing in recent years, yet it seems apparent that the number of inspectors and others who oversee our food supply will go down drastically.

That means we’ll be returning to a more buyer-beware culture when it comes to food, so do your homework and watch for reports of food-borne illnesses in your area.