When someone posts a note that shouts out danger, why do we ignore the information? That seems to be what is happening with a number of food recalls. Latest news indicates we “ho hum” the info and continue down our merry path of personal decision-making. There are so many possibilities for food-borne illnesses that it takes two government agencies to oversee recalls.

If you know that something will make you sick, why eat it? The pistachio recall has been greeted with more shrugs than returns. Consumers seem to believe it is just one more nutty outburst. Maybe the peanut butter scare poisoned the spirit and turned buyers into cynics. We seem to hear about a recall but do little about a recall–we call that a Seinfeld moment. The Rutgers Food Policy Institute calls it reality.

Maybe we are just skeptical that so many products can have so many deficiencies or we just figure it is to be expected with so many products available for purchase. Whatever the reason we seem to be overloaded with recalls and appear to be shouting-ok, ok, I know there are inherent dangers in food.

Maybe we believe the likelihood of salmonella from a little taste is minuscule. When a major supplier contacts the government and voluntarily submits to a recall, maybe we should listen. The company has upped its game and its web information about the possibility of salmonella. This particular recall has now spread into every conceivable kernel and includes numerous suppliers and producers. It does not seem to be disappearing.

Maybe we should care.