Nicols Fox

Nicols Fox is the author of Spoiled: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It (Basic Books, 1997; Penguin Books, 1998). In the following viewpoint, she maintains that outbreaks of food-borne illnesses reveal problems in the modern food production system. Many current practices in the way crops are grown, animals are raised, and food is processed and distributed increase the public’s risks of contracting food-borne illnesses, she argues. Fox contends that consumers must go beyond basic safety measures (such as maintaining clean kitchens and cooking foods safely) and aggressively hold farmers, grocers, and companies that process food accountable for ensuring food safety.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How many cases of food-borne illnesses occur annually in the United States, according to...