Many of us feel as though we are constantly pressed for time. After a busy day, the last thing we want to do is spend hours preparing a home-cooked meal. That’s where processed-food companies, such as ConAgra and General Mills, happily step in. Their convenient, pre-prepared food products provide a quick and easy meal solution. Unfortunately, these delectable dishes might be putting you and your family at risk.
Food safety has been a major concern in recent months. Frozen food, which many consumers believe to be safe and require only warming to taste, poses perhaps the greatest danger. Marketed as convenient, quick meals, these products often require more attention than most would-be diners expect. To make matters worse, food companies often fail to provide explicit instructions for safe preparation and, when they do provide them, often do so in tiny print in an inconspicuous area of the box.
Rising prices in an economic downturn may be at the root of the problem. Companies are under enormous pressure to keep their costs in check. Consequently, these corporations are continually trying to find cheaper ways to prepare their products.
Each year, there are approximately 76 million cases of food poisoning in the United States. While many incidents are mild and isolated, the aggregate cost to the health care system is substantial. Additionally, high-profile outbreaks can shake consumer confidence and cause a ripple effect in food spending.
