New food-related disease outbreaks seem to hit the news every week, but it’s hard to know whether that reflects an overzealous press or an under-performing government lacking funds for adequate inspections. Food safety is further complicated by an increasingly globalized food supply; for example, as much as 90 percent of the fish consumed in the US is imported. Activists want the USDA to monitor slaughterhouses more vigilantly, but the big meat processors say industry can police itself. How do we ensure the safety of our fish, meat and produce? Can we trust China and other foreign suppliers to comply with international and US standards of food safety? More broadly, how far should government play in defining and enforcing a healthful diet?