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The Associated Press this week is reporting that the U.S. government is trying to make the food we eat safer in light of recalls on popular consumer products like cookie dough, peanut butter, spinach, tomatoes, and even pistachios.

The food safety group established by President Barack Obama includes Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, among others. The group was cited as planning to boost the safety of some of the nationís most popular foods and announcing more stringent rules for the production of eggs, beef, poultry, leafy greens, melons and tomatoes. The standards are an effort to reduce instances of salmonella and E. Coli contamination.

Further, the group is providing direction to the Food and Drug Administration to help the food industry to establish better tracking systems in the events of an outbreak, so the source of contamination can be more quickly found. More efficient communications are also being implemented.

Why are we discussing this information on a blog about weight loss surgery and healthier lifestyles? In part, we want you to be aware that food contamination and illnesses are indeed rare, but are able to be spread both through fresh produce as well as packaged goods. While consumers canít see contamination on products they buy, there are things we all can do to lessen our chances of contamination and illness.

First, remain aware as possible of any recalls that are issued, and be sure to discard any products that are under review. In many cases, you can return the product to the store for a full refund. Second, always wash any fresh produce carefully before eating. If you are trying to eat healthier, you may be stocking up on a variety of nutritious and low-calorie fruits and vegetables, but make sure you do your part to minimize illness by washing any items carefully. Always check expiration dates carefully, and discard by those dates. Finally, make sure you donít leave items out that can become spoiled, which can occur quickly, especially during the hot days of summer. Items served at outdoor barbeques and picnics and left out for an extended period can make you sick. Itís always the safest bet to carefully wash items, avoid eating uncooked foods like raw cookie dough, and then to carefully wrap up and return foods to the refrigerator after serving. That way, they’ll be safe for eating later for seconds or leftovers!