As blogged about previously, the FDA has a few problems that need to be addressed in their handling of both food and drugs. On the food side, it looks like Washington is moving forward with a plan to plug some of the gaps. Legislation that will improve oversight of food safety is one step closer to becoming law, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill, which includes giving the FDA authority to order food recalls, setting safety standards, and requiring annual inspections of high-risk facilities, has made been approved by a House committee. A fee imposed on food facilities is expected to help fund the costs associated with the new duties.
In the wake of events like salmonella-tainted peanut products and E. coli in spinach, it’s vital that the FDA be given more authority to police the food industry. As of now, the FDA does not have the power to order recalls of tainted food, which is absurd. Merely suggesting a food recall does not cut it when people’s lives are on the line. Inspections are all-too-often carried out by private auditors, but without upping the number of inspectors under the FDA’s employ, that is unlikely to change. Imposing new civil penalties, as this legislation outlines, could make food producers take safety more seriously though. It’s a positive step forward, but whether this bill passes, and to what extent it will be altered during its passage, remains to be seen.
In the media, see articles by: the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe.
