Like you, I am outraged about the recent food-poisoning outbreak caused by peanut and now pistachio products contaminated with deadly Salmonella bacteria.  As the director of food safety here at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, I have seen a disturbing increase in the incidence of food-borne disease outbreaks. 

This is the largest recall of its kind in our history. More than 2,100 products are now implicated—and because of the long shelf life of many of these products, they may linger in unsuspecting Americans’ cupboards for many months.

More than 600 people have contracted serious infections after eating these tainted food products.  More than 100 have been hospitalized.  And eight families are grieving the senseless loss of a loved family member. 

I need your help with three things to help us contain the current outbreak and to seize a historic opportunity in Washington to prevent these outbreaks in the future.

1.  Review the list of recalled pistachio and peanut products on the FDA’s web site.  Young people, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are among the most vulnerable to Salmonella.  Volunteer to help an elderly relative or neighbor see if they have purchased products subject to this recall.

2.  Ask your representative in Congress to cosponsor the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, sponsored by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).  For far too long, critical food safety functions have played second fiddle to drugs at the Food and Drug Administration.  This bill creates a strong Food Safety Administration, led by a presidentially-appointed administrator.  It requires frequent, rigorous inspections of food processing facilities here and abroad, provides mandatory recall authority, and tough enforcement penalties when corporate negligence causes food safety hazards.

3.  Consider a gift to support our work.  President Barack Obama supports overhaul of the FDA.  But we need to turn up the heat on members of Congress so we can take advantage of this historic opportunity.

Thank you in advance for whatever you can do.

Sincerely,

David Plunkett
Senior Staff Attorney
Center for Science in the Public Interest

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to support H.R. 875, the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, sponsored by your colleague, Rep. Rosa DeLauro.

Like many Americans, I am outraged by the failure of the Food and Drug Administration to keep Americans safe from contaminated food. News reports about the recent outbreak of salmonellosis linked to products from the Peanut Corporation of America demonstrates how broken our food safety system is. FDA hadn't inspected the plant in eight years, managers hid positive test results for Salmonella from State inspectors, the plant shipped products it knew were contaminated, and, as a result, hundreds of Americans are sick and hospitalized. Tragically, eight families are grieving the senseless loss of a loved one.

For far too long, food safety has taken a back seat to drugs at the Food and Drug Administration. I support the DeLauro bill because it creates a dedicated Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services with an Administrator appointed by the President.

The bill requires registration and rigorous inspection of food processing facilities here and across the world. It would help prevent contamination in the first instance, but the new agency would have mandatory recall authority and tough new enforcement mechanisms at its disposal to catch and punish corporate negligence.

We expect the foods we serve our families and eat ourselves to be wholesome and free of bacterial contamination and other hazards. Exhausted by reports of outbreak after outbreak, Americans are no longer confident that FDA can ensure that their food is safe. Congress must act now to fix this broken system. Please cosponsor H.R. 875, the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009.

Thank you for considering my views, and I look forward to hearing yours.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 09, 2009