Salmonella prevention: Companies can do more

Tests by Kraft Foods led to the recall of pistachios -- and the warnings to consumers not to eat them for now. But such testing and reporting are not required by law, and not every company is as aggressive, which is prompting calls for reform.

Reform is needed not only by government but also within companies, says Tom Kozenski, a vice president at RedPrairie, which develops recall software for retailers and manufacturers. Companies should be able to better track their products and should be doing more inspections – even though that could be costly.

Recalls can permanently hurt brands; some have gone bankrupt.

“Trust is a big thing, right?” he says. “If I had to throw away ‘Tom Kozenski Ketchup,’ I may never buy Tom Kozenski Ketchup again.”

-- Mary MacVean

Photo: Paul Sakuma / Associated Press