Government Takes New Steps Toward Food Safety
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Today, the New York Times reported that the Obama administration issued a new rule on egg safety and also promised future efforts to ensure the safety of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, melons, beef and chicken. These are foods that have caused millions to get sick and thousands to die each year.
The Agriculture Department promised to develop new standards to reduce salmonella levels in chickens and turkeys by the end of the year. The Food and Drug Administration promised to advise the food industry by the end of the month on how to prevent contamination of tomatoes, melons, spinach and lettuce. And within three months the F.D.A. plans to release advice about how farmers, wholesalers and retailers can build systems to trace contaminated foods quickly from shelf to field.
Despite these sweeping goals, Michael Taylor, a food specialist and senior adviser at the food and drug agency, stressed that while these recent changes are a step in the right direction, there is a need for mandatory regulatory standards.
Last month, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a measure that would provide the food and drug agency with more "money and authority" to inspect facilities and weed out any contaminated ingredients. This measure also forces food manufacturers to implement safety plans and pay an annual registration fee to finance inspections.
As for reducing egg contamination, administrations have been trying for years to implement an effective plan, but have yet to be really successful. Pennsylvania and more than a dozen other states have instituted a voluntary program that has been effective in reducing infected hen houses down to 7% from 39%. The federal plan announced on Tuesday is modeled after the Pennsylvania plan but makes it mandatory.