As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history continues, you might not think it really impacts your daily life too much. Thing is? The Food and Drug Administration – aka the FDA – isn’t operating at full tilt either. And that means the FDA doesn’t have the same ability to do inspections, publicize recalls, outbreaks, and other vital information that keeps us healthy.
You probably remember that last year, the FDA announced a lot of recalls, from romaine lettuce to yogurt. With that in mind, the Daily Meal asked registered dietitian and attorney Jackie Arnett Elnahar’s advice about what we should steer clear of for the moment. Her advice? Raw foods and processed meats because they’re prone to contamination. She also advises passing on romaine lettuce and sprouts, which are susceptible to E. coli, and reminds us that cooking foods thoroughly at 165-degrees can kill E. coli, salmonella, and listeria.
Another expert, acclaimed foodborne illness lawyer Bill Marler, also recommends avoiding any foods that can’t be cooked and ready-to-eat products like cheeses, deli meats, leafy greens and sprouts. So basically – they’re saying avoid everything from salads to veggies, meats and cheese. Guess they want us on canned goods and bread?
But there is something you can do that’s a bit more reasonable: follow your grocery store on social media. That way, if the store issues a recall that hasn’t been announced by the FDA (as Kroger did just last week), you’ll know about it.
Source: The Daily Meal