The difference is profound.
Well, no. In America, the cheese, if made from unpasteurized milk, must be aged 60 days before sale. That's not at all the same as saying "the cheese is dead." French cheese sells in the US just fine. What doesn't sell broad-market is the stuff that needs to ripen before you can eat it. The French were late to the game with supermarkets, too - they don't warehouse and stockpile food the same way we do in the United States. As a consequence, there is finer granularity and control over distribution... not to mention there isn't a transatlantic leg to worry about. The USDA does practice trade protectionism in the name of "food safety" as evidenced in moves against semi-soft cheeses in 2005 and, before that, a redefinition of "grade A Swiss" to make it work better in the slicer. And true - whereas the French are known for Brie, we're known for "processed cheese food." But it isn't as simple as "In America, the cheese is dead."For example, if I know that in America the cheese is dead, which means is pasteurized, which means legally dead and scientifically dead, and we don't want any cheese that is alive, then I have to put that up front.
Those are good links, especially to the food poisoning bulletin site. I definitely think that the person commenting on the cheese in question, Clotaire Rapaille (what an incredible name!), was being dramatic, but there are some valid points made. Anyway, I take your point. I do hope to someday see a better food distribution model in the States though, where foods with maximum flavor dependent on very specific conditions can be safely distributed as widely as demand allows.
This can be applied to almost anything else for American Society. Look at the recent NSA debates and other Patriot Act related debates, and what we have put safety before. This, I find, is just as interesting because it's not something everybody thinks about. I would much rather go with taste before safety. If you're diligent the cheese will be fine. Side note: My study abroad in France resulted in the best eating on a day-to-day basis in terms of taste that I have ever experienced. From eating out, to grabbing a sandwich, to making food myself the general taste of everything was incredible and I miss it so.The French like the taste before safety. Americans want safety before the taste.
Yes, you can tell a lot about a culture by the way that food is treated. Also, I think that people lose something by having such strict regulations regarding their food, though I understand that it has more to do with how food is distributed and how food production is managed. What I think people lose is an eye for quality. By putting that responsibility in the consumer's hands, the consumer is then forced to consider the things they are buying and otherwise consuming, considerably more. If you've ever bought live poultry for example, learning to choose a bird involves considering its general health and well-being at the time of purchase, rather than selecting one from a bin full of similar looking styrofoam trays, wrapped in plastic. The American way is cleaner, but I prefer the other way, even if it is dirtier (and stinkier).