What happens when the systems designed to keep our food safe start to break down?
Corinne Low, Wharton associate professor of business economics and public policy, argues that food safety is a public good — one that individuals and families simply can’t provide for themselves.
She explains how reduced staffing, weakened inspections and changes to disease surveillance can leave consumers more vulnerable to foodborne illness.
Low also examines what happens when that responsibility gets pushed onto parents, and why trusting companies to regulate themselves isn’t enough.
The result is a larger question about government, business, and the basic protections consumers should be able to count on.
