摘要：An economic analysis of new meat and poultry inspection rules evaluates thebenefits and costs of reducing microbial pathogens and preventing foodborneillness. The new rules require federally-inspected processors and slaughterhousesto adopt Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems to identifypotential sources of pathogen contamination and establish procedures to preventcontamination. The benefits of reducing pathogens, which include lower medicalcosts of illness, lower productivity losses, and fewer premature deaths, range from$1.9 billion to $171.8 billion over 20 years, depending upon the level of pathogencontrol. These benefits will likely exceed the costs of HACCP, which are estimatedat between $1.1 and $1.3 billion over 20 years. Small meat and poultry processingfirms may bear higher costs under the new regulations than do large firms. Non-regulatory alternatives to improving food safety, such as education, labeling,market-based incentives for pathogen reduction, and irradiation, may contribute tothe goal of making foods safer, but are not a substitute for regulation. Additionalresearch is necessary to address the fundamental uncertainties involved in esti-mating the economic consequences of meat and poultry regulatory policies.
关键词：Food safety; foodborne illness; microbial pathogens; meat and poultry;inspection; HACCP; cost of illness; consumer education; irradiation
