To Require Mandatory Sell By Dates on Meat, Poultry & Fish sold to consumers

To:  everyone

We, the people of the United States are Petitioning the USDA & other Federal State & Local governments requesting they make mandatory the dating of meat, fish and poultry products sold to consumers in supermarkets, wholesale clubs, butcher shops and anywhere else such items are sold.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics approximately 76 million cases of foodbourne diseases occur each year. Some cases are more serious, and CDC estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to foodborne diseases each year.  The most severe cases tend to occur in the very old, the very young, those who have an ILLNESS ALREADY THAT REDUCES THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS, and in healthy people exposed to a very high dose of an organism.

There are many contributing factors that may cause foodbourne illnesses such as unsanitary conditions or meat left out too long and many other factors. Another major contributing factor to food poisoning is meat, poultry & fish that remain in stores cases for sale past the sell by dates.

There is no mandatory food dating program required for stores. However there are sell by dates listed on packages but they are not required by law. These sell by dates are dates recommended in the industry that food should stay in the supermarket.

According to a recent Dateline story, airing May 21, 2002, many supermarkets across the country were found changing sell by dates. You may view their story here on their website as long as the link remains active, http://www.msnbc.com/news/753195.asp

As mentioned above some people are more susceptible to foodbourne illnesses than others, especially those with a comprimised immune system

This petition was created by Reach Out magazine. Reach Out is a site by/for people with disABILITIES. We believe People with disABILITIES could be more susceptible to foodbourne illnesses than others.

To reiterate the purpose of this petition; to require the government whether it be through the USDA, State, Federal or local government agencies to make madatory, "Sell By" Dating on meat, fish and poultry sold to consumers. Please sign this petition to show your concern for this very serious issue. We only ask that you be at least 18 years of age and reside in the US to sign this petition.

Thank you,

Jim Jakubek

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The To Require Mandatory Sell By Dates on Meat, Poultry & Fish sold to consumers Petition to everyone was created by The community of Reach Out Magazine and written by Jim Jakubek.  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. The petition scripts are created by Mike Wheeler at Artifice, Inc.  For Technical Support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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