With having knowledge of how most meat and animal products are produced, the slaughtering practices associated with processing, and proper cooking methods, I think there is a responsibility on both consumers and manufacturers but a bulk of the responsibility is on consumers.
It is the manufacturer’s and processor’s responsibility to ensure that the products entering the food supply are safe and have bacteria counts within the USDA’s set limits. It is also their responsibility to ensure that they aren’t adding bacteria that wasn’t already present on the product and properly cooling/storing products until they leave the processing plants. With the strict limitations and inspection practices of the meat processing industry, I think there are lots of checkpoints in place for processors to ensure that the products entering the retail sector aren’t dangerous to our health or cause disease. Once the products enter the food supply, I think the responsibility switches over to the consumer. The consumer will need to take responsibility to ensure that they are thoroughly cooking animal products to the correct temperature, using safe food handling practices, limiting cross-contamination, and keeping the cooked products out of the temperature danger zone.
I also think that manufacturers get blamed for outbreaks/illnesses that were caused simply by a lack of consumer knowledge of safe handling and cooking practices. To try and combat this I think that there should be more widespread knowledge and awareness of the dangers of cross-contamination, thoroughly cooking products, and refrigeration of products. I think that consumer education should be a major focus for food safety organizations. This would allow people to become aware of how to properly handle and cook raw foods, refrigeration times, limiting cross-contamination, and just overall how to make sure your food is safe.
Overall, I think that manufacturers and consumers are both responsible for the safety of the food we consume but the responsibility switches to consumers once they purchase the product and bring it home.
Image from Food Safety Magazine.