Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food
Do the United States have the safest Food Supply in the World?
The new must-watch documentary Poisoned, directed by Stephanie Soechtig (The Devil We Know), is the perfect enhancement of the must-read book Poisoned from Jeff Benedict. It examines the issue of several deadly foodborne illness in the United States of the last 30 years.
Through revealing interviews with experts, food safety advocates and victims families, the film exposes the broken social contract between food supplier and consumer and gives
Starting with the history of the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak, it explores several other foodborne outbreaks related to spinach (2006-2022), romain lettuce (2018), peanut butter (2009), eggs (2010). It shows that, if much has been done regarding E. coli in ground beef, a lot remains to be done for other pathogens (Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter…) and other food products. According to the CDC, 48 million people get sick each year from Foodborne illness in the United States.
The film gives some examples of ruthless CEOs who, in the cases of the PCA scandal or the egg contamination, showed to be interested in profit only rather than in the health and safety of their consumers. But it also shows the resistance of lobbies in implementing more radical food safety protecting measures.
It shows also the importance to consider the food supply as a whole, and in the example of produce to examine and improve the practices in the close environment of the growing fields, to avoid for instance the contamination sources from Livestock.
“Poisoned” highlights also the complexity of the governmental oversight on Food Safety in the United States, with federal (USDA, FDA) and local responsibilities, illustrated by the ingredients on one meal taken at a restaurant. The CDC investigates 36 outbreaks, according to the film.
It also shows that for consumers to avoid cross contamination at home is a real challenge. The burden should not be out on them.
Food should be safe before reaching our homes.
“FDA and Food Industry must do more”.
Poisoned is a necessary and important film. It reveals the dark side of the food industry and the dangers of our food supply. The film is a wake-up call for consumers and policymakers alike. We need to demand change if we want to protect ourselves from deadly foodborne illness and to declare those pathogens as adulterant in food, as it was done for E.coli in ground beef.
The filmmakers tested 150 samples of raw chicken, 17% of them tested positive for Salmonella.
The USDA recently decided to ban Salmonella from breaded stuffed chicken products. Is it a first step?
Some of the experts, witnesses of the documentary can be considered as Food Safety Heroes through their commitment to reduce the impact of foodborne illnesses and improve the knowledge around Food Safety: Bill Marler, Darin Detwiler, Mike Taylor, Ben Chapman, Timothy Litton, Frank Yiannas, Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, Marion Nestle, Rosa DeLauro…
Poisoned is a powerful film that raises important questions about the safety of our food supply. It is a must-watch for anyone who cares about their health and the health of their family.