Is Our Food Safe: A Consumer's Guide to Protecting Your Health and the Environment

Every day, new warnings emerge about the safety of the food in our markets, school cafeterias, and restaurants. As industry and government officials rush in with reassurances—and food alarmists call for drastic changes in the American diet—ordinary consumers are caught in the middle. Is Our Food Safe? separates the facts from the rumors and offers straightforward, reliable advice on how to protect your health and the environment without going to extremes.

Is Our Food Safe? answers common questions about the safety of meat, dairy products, fish, fruits, and other foods that make up our daily diet. It assesses the positive and negative aspects of genetically engineered foods, compares organic and conventionally produced foods, and makes recommendations about when (and if) you should choose local suppliers over industry giants. It also explains which foods to eat and which to avoid if you are concerned about clean water and air and a safe environment. Finally, it provides valuable information on how you can improve the quality of the food available in your communities, including specific issues to raise with grocers and food service providers.

Warren Leon is executive director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association and coauthor of The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices.

Caroline Smith DeWaal is director of the Food Safety Program at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The publisher of Nutrition Action Healthletter, CSPI has been working for a healthier, safer food supply since 1971.