Most diners who think twice about eating, say, a cheeseburger are mindful of their waistlines or cholesterol level. Investigative journalist Jeff Benedict sees another threat. The author of Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat, this writer doesn’t back down in the face of opposition when an issue is vital.
This time he’s taking on food safety. “My wife had been after me to do a book on the food industry for a couple of years, but I couldn’t find an angle. Then I turned my attention to food-poison outbreaks,” he says. He learned of a significant case involving an E. coli outbreak. “It was one of those stories that was too compelling to ignore.” That became his book—and it reinforced his commitment to his home farm, which leaves him and his family with fewer questions about where their food comes from, who handles it and what’s really in it. Changes to make now, he says: “Eat organic. Eat local. Eat in season.”
Formerly of Connecticut, he is also the author of Little Pink House: A True Story of Defiance and Courage about the eminent domain decision in New London. Questions on these two important issues? Ask him in person. He’ll be speaking at the Pequot Library on April 15.