How Safe is Our Food?

[jesmu84]

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When it comes to topics like this, how should we as a society approach it? Should it be a free market response - ie, consumers get sick, companies get punished (financially or otherwise) and then companies change? Or should this be government intervention ahead of time - ie, restrictions, inspections, regulations, etc? It's a tough line to walk.

I understand that companies are out to make a profit, and therefore aren't necessarily going to do things to protect/benefit consumer if the costs outweigh the benefits. In that case, however, don't we rely on the government to protect us? If so, why are we so woefully underfunded and undermanned when it comes to our regulatory bodies (in this case, UDSA, FDA, etc)