More food fear and a reminder

"Consumers want to feel safe in consuming fresh fruits and vegetables and I think that confidence is slipping." That was one telling quote from a spokesperson from the Center for Science in the Public Interest quoted in this story about consumer perceptions about food safety. I think the point is valid, though I wonder if continued media coverage of the the E. coli story and fresh produce will reach a saturation point in the consumer's mind. When that point comes, nothing more may be done to injure consumer perceptions about produce safety. Let's hope that point doesn't come - having nowhere to go but up is not a place the industry wants to be. Another story compares the food safety of beef and produce, and produce is found wanting.
Thankfully, another story reminds us that the fruits and vegetables play a key role in preserving and bettering our health, citing research that shows foods high in Vitamin C reduce the risk of stomach cancer.