Are Food Safety Fears Making Us Less Healthy? | Amy Myrdal Miller

Food recalls and food safety outbreaks can be frightening. But what happens when fear causes people to avoid fruits and vegetables altogether?

On this episode of SacTown Talks, Hector Barajas sits down with registered dietitian, cookbook author, and food and agriculture expert Amy Myrdal Miller for a wide-ranging conversation about food safety, nutrition, consumer fear, and the importance of keeping fruits and vegetables at the center of a healthy diet.

The discussion begins with the recent Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce from Mexico and addresses how consumers should think about recalls, outbreaks, and food safety warnings.

Amy explains why it is important to look at the specific product, source, brand, and growing region involved rather than assuming an entire food category is unsafe. She also encourages consumers to rely on trusted sources, such as the FDA and CDC, for accurate information.

The conversation then turns to a much larger public health issue: Americans still do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. Amy discusses why fear and misinformation can worsen the problem, how food safety events can affect consumer behavior long after an outbreak ends, and why fresh, frozen, canned, and other forms of fruits and vegetables can all play an important role in a healthy diet.

Hector and Amy also talk about the changing way consumers think about food, including convenience, sustainability, price, and health; the need to tell more positive stories about farmers and farmworkers; California agriculture; Farm to School programs; and what policymakers can do to support both food safety and the people who produce our food.

Amy also shares a simple message for families shopping for produce: buy what you love, try something new, and make fruits and vegetables a bigger part of your cart and your daily meals.

The episode closes with a discussion of her cookbook, Cooking á la Heart, and her passion for making healthy eating flavorful, approachable, and enjoyable.

Buy the cookbook here: https://www.farmersdaughterconsulting.com/book-cooking-a-la-heart/