Saturday, February 2, 2013

Small, loca, oganic and dangerous

Calling all those who trumpet small business, local and organic as safer food.
Take note of Rosewood Products of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Owner Phi G. Ye has consented to a permanent injunction after federal food-safety inspectors told the judge about the flithy conditions in his plant where he processed tofu, soy milk and similar products.
He won't be able to resume production until he hires a consultant to prepare food-safety protocols, he properly trains staff and cleans up the place.
“Consumers expect their foods to be safe,” said Melinda K. Plaisier, acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “When foods are not manufactured under sanitary conditions, those who prepare, process and distribute those foods should expect FDA enforcement action.”
Judge by their compliance, not by their business size or location. 
I have a suggestion: compare by the percentage of faulty products and sickened customers.
By those measures, Rosewood Products is probably worse than XL Foods and Maple Leaf Foods and organic products more risky than mainstream products grown and processed by conventional practices.