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A measured approach: leading their own initiatives or taking advantage of industry programs, retailers tackle food-safety challenges.

Article Excerpt
In the proverbial farm-to-fork food chain, guess what's right at the center? After fresh meat, poultry, and seafood are processed and shipped for distribution and before a product goes into consumer hands, it is the grocery store that serves as the bridge between the producer and the at-home user.

The much-touted "multi-hurdle" approach to food safety ultimately includes a retail aspect, from the supermarket main office to the back cutting and packaging room to the individual butcher who interacts with customers.

"I think everyone in the food chain plays a crucial role. One important thing in each sector is to identify key components to take responsibility for," notes Jill Hollingsworth, vice president food safety programs for the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Washington, DC. She says the responsibility borne by meat and poultry departments is inevitably different than other merchandise areas.

"Retailers are certainly interested in safety throughout the store. But because of...

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