I think that sums up the problem pretty well. This idea that the market manages to regulate itself.
If you want to see this in action, take a look at a can of tuna. That can of tuna contains a low level of mercury, albacore tuna contains even more. But why do you suppose that isn’t mentioned on the can of tuna?
Were you aware that it contains mercury? Do you like that it contains mercury? Is your next question, “how much does it contain?”
Well, the government hasn’t decided to regulate it yet, probably because the tuna industry REALLY doesn’t want to have to put a number greater than zero under the “Mercury” column on the ingredients list. Or maybe they’re worried voters are tired of the government being involved with grocery items.
Are you planning to go through the trouble of sending each can to be tested?
What would it take for the tuna industry to “regulate itself” and start putting the mercury levels on the can of tuna? I know they were happy to put dolphin free, but when the can ISN’T mercury free, what do you suppose they’ll say? “Choose Star Fresh Tuna, the one with less mercury.”
Fresh and farmed salmon can also contain small amounts of PCBs, try asking your fish guy about it some time, see how much information is available in this unregulated area of the market.
And if your response is simply, “I don’t eat canned tuna.” I can run through a dozen other examples of low levels of things in your food that neither the government nor industry bothers to regulate.
By the way, did anyone have a bottle of water recently? Did you make sure to test it, or did you assume it wasn’t refilled by a kid trying to make a couple of bucks?