Sandra B. Eskin, Nancy Donley, Donna Rosebaum, and Karen Taylor Mitchell

About the author: Sandra B. Eskin is a writer and consultant on food safety issues. Nancy Donley is president of Safe Tables Our Priority (STOP). Donna Rosebaum is cofounder of STOP and a food safety advocate. Karen Taylor Mitchell is executive director of STOP. STOP is a nonprofit organization that assists victims of food-borne illnesses and advocates for food safety.

Government and food industry officials are sending consumers mixed messages; they insist that America has the safest food in the world and then try to convince consumers that they have to take special precautions in cooking and storing food so it will be safe to eat. Further, inaccurate or incomplete labeling may lead consumers to believe that...