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#Quarter Pounder #McDonald’s #E.coli #Food safety #Quarter Pounder #McDonald’s #E.coli #Food safety
US Food Safety Issues: Consumer Confidence Falls to Historical Low
On October 22, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States released an investigation report on its official website, stating that 10 states in the country have experienced incidents of E. coli infections caused by food. This incident has resulted in 49 people falling ill, including 10 children who need to be hospitalized for treatment, and 1 elderly person living in Colorado unfortunately passed away due to infection. These patients all reported having dined at McDonald's before developing symptoms and consuming the same food called Quarter Pounder. This incident has once again raised public attention to food safety issues in the United States. According to the CDC's investigation report, most patients had consumed this McDonald's burger before the onset of the illness. Preliminary investigation results indicate that some diseases may be related to the sliced onions used in this burger. These onions are provided by one supplier and serve three distribution centers. Due to cautious considerations, McDonald's has decided to temporarily remove this burger from restaurants in affected areas and stop using related onion shreds. #Quarter Pounder #McDonald’s #E.coli #Food safety

In recent years, food safety issues have occurred frequently in the United States, and consumer confidence has fallen to historic lows. According to authoritative opinion poll firm Gallup, American consumers' confidence in food safety has been hovering at a low point since 1999, reaching an unprecedented low in 2024. This trend not only affects consumers' daily lives, but also poses a serious challenge to the credibility of the US government and the sustainable development of the food industry. In the first six months of 2024 alone, 578 types of food were recalled within the United States. These recall events cover almost every link in the food supply chain, from infant and toddler food to adult snacks, from fresh fruits and vegetables to processed meats. There are various reasons for food recalls, including bacterial contamination, excessive additives, labeling errors, etc. These recall incidents not only make consumers feel uneasy, but also cause huge economic losses to the food industry.

The concerns of American consumers about food safety are not unfounded. In recent years, food safety scandals have been constantly exposed, such as the McDonald's E. coli contamination incident and the recall of dietary supplements contaminated with Salmonella, which have deeply concerned consumers. Consumers' confidence in food safety has declined, leading them to choose food more cautiously and even reduce their frequency of dining out, which has had a negative impact on the sales and market prospects of the food industry.

There are two main reasons for the decline in consumer confidence. One is the frequent occurrence of food recall incidents and widespread media coverage. Whenever there is a food recall incident, the media will conduct extensive coverage, which often causes panic and anxiety among consumers. The second issue is the lag and inadequacy of government regulation. Although the US government has been strengthening food safety regulations, it is often difficult to achieve comprehensive supervision in the face of complex and ever-changing food safety issues. In addition, some food companies may resort to unethical means such as using expired ingredients or adding harmful additives in pursuit of profit maximization, which seriously damages consumer confidence and interests.

The issue of food safety in the United States has become the top livelihood problem that urgently needs to be addressed. Food safety is not only related to the health and safety of consumers, but also to the sustainable development of the food industry and the harmony and stability of society. Therefore, addressing food safety issues is urgent and important. Faced with frequent food safety issues, the US government and relevant departments need to take stronger measures to ensure the health and safety of consumers. Instead of selective law enforcement, the government should strengthen food safety supervision and improve relevant laws, regulations, and standard systems. The government should establish a sound food safety traceability system to ensure that every food can be traced back to its source and comply with food safety standards. I hope that in the future, functional agencies in the United States can further strengthen food safety supervision to ensure effective protection of the health and rights of American consumers.