When I go grocery shopping, there’s a lot going on in my mind. I’m thinking about my health and diet, meals my wife and I can cook, and ways to save money. But I hardly ever stop and think, “I hope my food was properly inspected.”

 I, like most Americans, take for granted that somebody is carefully examining our food. But recently, and with the holiday season fast approaching, I’m not so sure that’s the case.

 Now, food inspection is increasingly outsourced to for-profit corporations replacing the public service workers who have long been responsible for the safety of our food. Sadly, the result has been terrifying — even deadly.

 I will never forget 2011 when 33 cantaloupe consumers died painful deaths after being infected with Listeria monocytogenes. What many might not know or remember is the inspection of the melons had been outsourced to a for-profit corporation named Primus Group, Inc.

 And in recent news, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has proposed a “Modernization of Poultry Inspection.” What this does is remove USDA inspectors from poultry lines and lets companies police themselves.

 I recently wrote more about these disturbing developments at the Huffington Post, in a piece titled “Outsourcing Food Inspection Is Too Hard to Swallow.” Please take a moment to read and share. 

Food is meant to be enjoyed: a hot dog at the ballpark; a cookout on the Fourth of July; a romantic dinner for two. Americans should not have to worry that their food is not safe.

 If you believe food inspection should not be outsourced to private companies, please read and share my post:

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donald-cohen/outsourcing-food-inspecti_b_4170050.html

Here’s to healthy eating this season,