It’s too late to save yourself from serious illness if you have just finished eating a contaminated meal. Contaminated foods can cause stomach problems that can lead to mild upset stomachs or even death. Experts estimate that around 5,000 Americans die each year from foodborne illnesses.

It is possible to save thousands of lives by preventing food poisoning from happening in the first place and not waiting for contamination to be discovered. Margaret Hamburg, newly appointed FDA chief, stated that prevention is key to food safety.

Whether it’s Listeria or Salmonella, the FDA’s new attack is preventing harm to the common foods chain. Congress is seeing strengthened food safety legislation from many sponsors. Each version has prevention as its core.

Inspections of farms, factories and food enterprises will increase frequency, and food companies will have to maintain higher standards in performance and documentation. Tighter traceability protocols are expected. It will be possible to recall food that is not good and to impose stricter penalties and fines. American legislators and food industry executives have a bit more peace than in other countries, as contamination in China can lead to death.

However, government cannot always be the leader. The private sector must set new standards and be accountable. New ideas, new services, and new products are required for a new era in food safety. iPura is an innovative program that focuses on food safety, based in California. The iPura Company offers organic processing technology that stops contaminants reaching dinner tables.

iPura uses science-based, environmentally-friendly methods to kill disease-causing bacteria. Then, it seals the product to ensure “The Highest Standards in Food Safety.” iPura began with seafood, but will soon expand to cleaning poultry and other produce. Shoppers can identify iPura foods by its seal, which is found on all products that bear its preventive invention.