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FDA Can't Ensure Food Safety, Critics Say

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FDA Can't Ensure Food Safety, Critics Say - 5/1/2007 10:45:44 AM

Marc David

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

FDA Can't Ensure Food Safety, Critics Say

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't have enough staff or funding to adequately inspect food imported into the United States or to keep the nation's food supply safe, critics warn.

"The public thinks the food supply is much more protected than it is. If people really knew how weak the FDA program is, they would be shocked," William Hubbard, a former associate commissioner at the agency, told The New York Times.

"With globalization, American food processors are turning to less-developed countries to get food ingredients because they can get them so much more cheaply," Hubbard noted.
In 2006, FDA inspectors sampled only 20,662 food shipments out of the more than 8.9 million that were unloaded at American ports, the Times reported. Of the 199,000 food shipments from China, less than two percent were sampled, according to former agency officials.

The agency is responsible for monitoring 80 percent of food in the United States, but inspects only about one percent of all food shipments that arrive at ports, according to federal government data.

The FDA has only about 1,750 food inspectors to cover the ports and food production plants in the United States. Most plants are checked by FDA inspectors only about once every five to 10 years, Hubbard told the Times. Food production plants in other countries are not regularly monitored by the FDA.

In related news, the FDA announced Tuesday the creation of the position of Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection, which will be filled by Dr. David Acheson, who is currently chief medical officer and director of the FDA's Office of Food Defense, Communication and Emergency Response.
In his new role, Acheson will provide advice to the FDA commissioner on food safety and food defense matters.

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