The Senate recently passed a legislation that strengthens the FDA’s power to protect the public from food borne illnesses. The bill is intended to keep the unsafe food away from the public before they get sick as opposed to the current way of recalling products after an outbreak has occurred. It increases the number of inspections the FDA conducts of food processing plants here in the U.S and the imports also. According to the NY Times, “Part of the problem is the growing industrialization and globalization of the nation’s food supply. Nearly one-fifth of it, including as much as three-quarters of its seafood, is imported, but the Food and Drug Administration inspects less than one pound in a million of imported foods. The bill gives the agency more control over food imports, including increased inspection of foreign processing plants and the ability to set standards for how fruits and vegetables are grown abroad.”
This overhaul of food safety is greatly welcomed by me. I am in the food industry myself and even though I’m sure new restrictions will make our jobs more constricting, the end result is worth it. The greater good of the society is worth a few bucks (likely more than just a few) and inconveniences. This law may not cover all the bases when it comes to food safety but it’s a good start and I look forward to one day being able to buy and produce food products with complete confidence that it is safe..