Hightower Lowdown

In March 2008, the official inspector's report unequivocally concluded, "The overall food safety level of this facility was considered to be: SUPERIOR."

The facility in question was the Peanut Corporation of America's processing plant in Georgia --the very one that then shipped salmonella-contaminated products all across America last year, killing nine people and sickening more than 22,000.

How could the inspector not see that a factory was alive with deadly salmonella? The inspection system is grossly flawed, and in this case, there were several disastrous shortcomings. Corporate officials were given advance notice that the inspector would be coming, he was allowed only one day to check a plant that handles millions of pounds of peanuts a month, and this inspector's expertise is in fresh produce, not goobers --he didn't even know that salmonella can thrive in peanuts. Besides, he was not required to test for salmonella.

Sheesh! Is this the best we can expect from our government's food-safety system? Uh...well, that's another problem. You see, the inspector doesn't work for the public. Instead, he works for a private food-safety audit firm. He gets his inspection gigs by soliciting food processors directly, and the processors pay his salary. Cozy, no?

More than 200 companies are in business doing safety audits for food processors. Because Washington has privatized government work and slashed federal inspection budgets, these for-profit companies now perform the bulk of America's food-safety inspections--essentially letting the processors buy a phony seal of approval.

Come on, Congress, come on Obama--let's put the "public" back in public safety. Pronto.