December 2003
Local food systems may protect communities from food-borne illness
Buying at farmers markets allows consumers to know where their food comes from. (photo by Lyra Halprin, SAREP)
Davis--"Eating locally"
may be one way to reduce the chance of contracting a food-borne illness, according
to Gail Feenstra, food systems analyst for the UC Davis-based statewide Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP).
Feenstra, an expert on community
food systems, said communities that "shorten the supply lines" between
farm and table allow restauranteurs and consumers to know where their food comes
from, and know the conditions on the farms where their food is produced.
"When produce is imported, we don't always know what its food safety record is," she said. "U.S. inspectors can only check a small percentage of produce that travels across the border. Contaminated food is bound to slip through from time to time."
Feenstra, who has a doctorate in nutrition education from Columbia University Teacher's College, is the author of numerous publications on farm-to-school lunch programs, the vulnerability of the food chain, and how local, seasonal food systems contribute to food security.
Media Contacts:
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
