By: Rilynn Fluitt

This summer it seemed as though there was an overwhelming amount of foodborne illnesses and recalls. Day after day, more people were falling ill with cyclosporiasis. The total number infected amounted to almost 20,000 Americans.

After cuts to funding and staff of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), opponents are using these outbreaks as ammunition against current policies.

“Regardless of external recall frequency, we will continue to maintain our strict quality control standards and prioritize student health above all else,” Bellbrook Food Service General Manager Christian Alvarez said.

According to the US Public Interest Research Group, there has been no surplus in food recalls. “But more recalls doesn’t necessarily mean the food supply is becoming less safe,” Michigan State University Food Safety Specialist Dr Wade Syers said in Prevention. “Sometimes it means we’re doing a better job finding problems through testing, surveillance, and outbreak investigations.”

“Food safety is the absolute cornerstone of everything we do [at Bellbrook],” Alvarez said. “While news of foodborne illnesses in the industry serves as a constant reminder of the stakes involved, food safety is already embedded into our daily routines.”