See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

Every summer, Canadians are reminded that fresh produce, while essential to a healthy diet, can also pose food safety risks. This year’s Cyclospora outbreak in the United States has already sickened more than 1,600 people, making it one of the largest in recent memory. Yet despite its scale, investigators have not identified the specific fruit, vegetable, farm or supplier responsible. Canada’s food regulators have appropriately resisted calls to suspend produce imports because there is simply no scientific evidence pointing to a particular commodity or country of origin. From a regulatory standpoint, that is the right decision. From a communications standpoint, however, we have an opportunity to do much better.

CHARLEBOIS: Food safety needs an AI upgrade Back to video

Food safety agencies have become remarkably sophisticated at tracing pathogens through increasingly complex supply chains, but when it comes to communicating uncertainty, many are still relying on a model designed for another era. Press releases and media interviews remain the primary tools for informing the public, even though most Canadians now consume information through search engines, social media and increasingly through artificial intelligence. The way people seek answers has changed dramatically,........

© Edmonton Sun