Historically, food poisoning has been one of the biggest threats for public figures and people with power. To reduce the risk, a lot of nation leaders have been known to employ food tasters. For example, we know that both Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi used to have one. But what’s the case with the US President? Does he have a food taster? And if not, how does the Secret Service protect him from food poisoning when visiting a foreign state?
Let’s find out.
Apparently the President doesn’t have a food taster (even though we can’t be 100% sure) but the Secret Service is highly involved in the inspection of its food, especially when the food is being prepared outside the White House. For instance, when the President is visiting a restaurant, Secret Service agents or military personnel will thoroughly examine the kitchen prior to his arrival, they will bring their own condiments and even their own bottled water. As former agent, with 23 years of experience, Joseph Petro states in his interesting 2005 book Standing Next To History (Get it from Amazon): (the article continues after the ad)
): “In principle nothing edible gets near the President unless we know where it comes from and who has handled it.”
That being said, when the president digs in at a state banquet, he’s eating the same stuff as everyone else in the room, but his food has been prepared by White House stewards. The stewards are even dressed up to match the other servers at the event and carry his plate out themselves. The same thing (but more) applies when the President is attending an event in a foreign country. Petro writes:
“Stewards find out what’s being served at the banquet and bring the ingredients with them from the United States.”
They then prepare the food in the kitchen of the visiting country and serve it to the President in order to be sure that nothing suspicious gets thrown into the plate!
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: This Is The Only Thing A US President Can’t Have
Main Article Photo: Metro
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
Sources: Does the President have an official food taster?
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