Taste Tester?

President Obama's French food tested by 'taster'

Why? Is he afraid of being poisoned? It can't be that, there has to be some other way to be sure. How would you know it wasn't a slow acting poison anyway? Is he tasting it to see if it tastes good? This is the first time I've heard this reported, did it happen only in France? Did he eat in Saudi Arabia? Did he taste it there? Does he have someone taste all his food? His hamburgers?

It's bizarre.

Edit: Apparently Bush did it, too. Still bizarre.