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US Food Safety System In Crisis, Report Concludes; FDA Food Safety Budget Hiked
Washington—Food safety requires strong public-private partnerships, but there are currently a number of obstacles that impair the government’s ability to carry out its functions effectively, according to a new report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).
Key problems that experts have identified include inadequate federal leadership, coordination, and resources; outdated laws and policies; and limited federal, state and local coordination.
Modernizing the food safety system could “significantly decrease” the number of foodborne illnesses in the US each year and help restore public confidence in the system and in the safety of food, the report said. It said the
US should focus on building a modern food safety system that emphasizes:
• Farm-to-fork disease prevention practices. Food safety priorities must shift from a system focused on outdated, limited end-product and processing plant inspections to a system where the emphasis is on preventing outbreaks and illnesses throughout the entire food production process and supply chain. Preventive strategies, such as HACCP, should be at the center of food safety practices.
• The ability to keep pace with modern threats. Threats to the food supply change as industry practices and farming and processing technologies change. Government strategies for protecting and inspecting the food supply must be able to adapt quickly to these changes.
• Monitoring foreign imports and international practices. Food safety agencies must have clear statutory authority and receive resources necessary to educate overseas regulators and food producers about US food safety standards, require that food importers demonstrate these standards are being met, and permit US regulators to inspect foreign establishments as well as food at theport of entry.
To accomplish these goals, the report recommended that funding for FDA’s food program grow substantially, at least doubling in real terms over the next five years, and statutory mandates should be updated to strengthen the agency’s abilities to carry out preventive efforts and oversee food imports. Resources for inspections should be distributed and used in the manner most likely to contribute to disease reduction.
As a second step, the report recommended taking steps to realign and elevate organizationally all of the food regulatory functions at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA’s parent agency.
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration’s senior management focus is split between regulating medical products and food, with its food functions typically taking the backseat in terms of
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