The World Bank values the global food and agriculture sector at around $4.8 trillion. In the United States alone, more than 90% of seafood offered for sale comes from abroad, as well as half the fresh fruit on the market, 20% of fresh vegetables and 4% of meat and poultry products. So how much coordination is there between producers, exporters, importers and retailers to ensure that the food we’re about to eat has been packaged and prepared according to regulatory standards? The complex answer involves food regulators, inspectors, health authorities and, of course, laboratory scientists.
The feature article of the spring edition of Lab Matters looks at the vast, complicated world of international food safety, as well as the invaluable contributions of the ever-evolving PulseNet network.
Here are just a few of this issue’s highlights:
- Study Finds PulseNet Savings of $507 Million Per Year
- 15 Minutes with Craig Hedberg
- APHL and Public Health Labs: On the Front Lines of Zika Response
- Laboratory Capacity Mapping: The Kenya Experience
- NPR Meets NBS at 2016 Newborn Screening and Genetic Testing Symposium
- When the Dog Bites: Rabies Reporting Goes Electronic
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