Imagine ending up in the hospital just because you ate raw cookie dough or a granola bar.

Last week, Nestle recalled raw chocolate chip cookie dough because of fears of e coli. Earlier this year, hundreds of people fell ill after eating peanut products found to contain salmonella. Nine people died.

You can help make our food safer.

In response to this health crisis, President Obama has called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make changes in the nation’s food safety inspection system. He created a Food Safety Working Group to recommend improvements.

And he promised to hire more food safety specialists.

“[W]e are also strengthening our food safety system and modernizing our labs with a billion dollar investment,” Obama said, “a portion of which will go toward significantly increasing the number of food inspectors, helping ensure that the FDA has the staff and support they need to protect the food we eat.”

A different way to make a difference

Once upon a time, people grew their own food and prepared meals in their own kitchens. Today, we eat at restaurants as often as we eat at home.

In just one meal, you can eat fish caught in Costa Rica, vegetables grown in Chile, and juice pressed in China. But how can you tell if the food you eat is safe?

Make a difference. Learn how you can help make our food supply safer.