2010-09-03 22:30

Press Conference at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8; Advocates & Survivors of Foodborne Illness to Cite Recalls and Urge Senate Passage of Food Safety Bill

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—Report to Detail Recalls While Bill Has Been Pending—

In the wake of the massive recall of Salmonella-contaminated eggs, food safety advocates will release a report describing the food recalls that have occurred since FDA reform legislation was passed by the House of Representatives in July 2009.  Since then the bill has been awaiting action in the United States Senate.  The groups, together with survivors of foodborne illness, will call on the Senate to pass the bill (S. 510) when it reconvenes.  The bills would give the Food and Drug Administration the inspectors and authority it needs to keep America's food safe, according to the groups.    

Who: Center for Science in the Public Interest Food Safety Director Caroline Smith DeWaal

Consumer Federation of America Food Policy Dir. Christopher Waldrop

Survivor of foodborne illness TBA

U.S. PIRG Public Health Advocate Elizabeth Hitchcock

What:  News conference.  Participants will urge the Senate to pass food safety reformlegislation.  The groups will release a report identifying 85 separate food recalls since the House passed its bill (and while the bill has been awaiting action in the Senate.) Many of those foods will be on display.

When:2:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Where:  National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Murrow & White rooms

Embargo: This advisory is for media planning purposes only and information within is embargoed until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8.

ABOUT CFA:  Consumer Federation of America is an association of nearly 300 nonprofit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education.

ABOUT CSPI:  The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a nonprofit health-advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on nutrition and food safety.  CSPI is supported largely by the 850,000 U.S. and Canadian subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletterand by foundation grants.

ABOUT U.S. PIRG:  U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups, is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization.

CONTACT: Jeff Cronin, +1-202-777-8370, or Stacey Greene, +1-202-777-8316, both of Center for Science in the Public Interest

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Sept. 3/

SOURCE Center for Science in the Public Interest

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