More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 1

More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety

Lavenda Saunders
College of the Desert
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 2
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety
A Research of the Issue
he !nited States is considered to have one of the safest food su""lies in the
world# $ut the !S Centers for Disease Control and %revention &CDC' estimates that ()
million "eo"le e*"erience food $orne illnesses each year+ More than ,-.#/// are
hos"itali0ed with these illnesses and a$out .#/// die &1Food Safety#2 -/3,'+ he recall
"rocess wor4s for most "roducts# $ut not for food+ 5ith food# a recall must $e
im"lemented almost immediately to "revent illnesses and death+ 5e need more
government regulations# in order to change how our food is grown# "rocessed and
distri$uted+ It is so crucial for the safety of our food su""ly+ his research attem"ts to
address current legislation versus "otential new legislation that could "ossi$ly solve
some of the "ro$lems associated with our food safety+
he CDC has stated that there are# 1,3 "athogens 4nown to cause food$orne
illness2 &1Food Safety#2 -/3,'+ hey also mentions that the ma6ority of these "athogens
are trac4ed $y a "u$lic health system# which trac4s diseases and out$rea4s+ 7owever#
there are several of these "athogens that have $een 4nown to $e deadly and the
trac4ing system does not identify those "athogens+ Food safety has always $een a
concern# only till recently the issue have $ecome a ma6or concern+ In the article#
1Industriali0ed Agriculture 7as "roduced an !nhealthy Food System2 & 5allinga# -/3,'
it stated# 1this "ro$lem is not new# what is new are mammoth food "lants that amass
huge 8uantities of meat or another "roduct from so many locations# mi* it# and then
send it all across the country9factors ma4ing national disease out$rea4s more li4ely
and more difficult to trac4 $ac4 to the source2+
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 3
he large industriali0ed food farms# have esca"ed new regulation for years# due to $ig
food cor"orations having lo$$yist to lo$$y $efore congress to 4ee" the regulations in
their favor+ hey also have dee" "oc4ets that go towards "olitical contri$utions# which
also hel" 4ee" new regulations on the $ac4 $urner+ Food safety has $een a concern
since 3:/.# when !"ton Sinclair wrote the $oo4 The Jungle+ Sinclair descri$ed the
horrors of the meat "ac4ing industry# from the wor4ing conditions to the health of those
who consumed the "roducts that were $eing "roduced+ his detailed investigation led
Congress to enact the first food safety legislation+ ;n any given day you can go to the
!SDA we$site and see several re"orts on various recalls of food "roducts+ At the time
of this writing the we$site was re"orting the following recalls<
3+ A"ril 3(# -/3= 5isconsin Firm Recalls Salami y"e %roducts Mis$randed
5ith !SDA Mar4 of Ins"ection>
-+ A"r 3=# -/3= 5ashington Firm Recalls Dried ?gg %roducts Due o %ossi$le
Salmonella Contamination>
,+ A"r /=# -/3= Missouri Firm Recalls Chic4en Nugget %roducts Due o
%ossi$le Foreign Matter Contamination
oo many Americans are $ecoming more aware of the safety of their food+ oo
many investigations have $een conducted and undercover investigations have $een
discovered# to the "oint that they have made main stream media+ hese "ro$lems are
the result of an industrial food system that values only "roduction# without concern for
the healthfulness of its "roducts or for the environment in which they are "roduced+
Christy Laws &3::-' article# 1Americas looming Food Safety Crisis2 states that#
1the last 3/ years# has seen a shift in !SDA "riorities and "rocedures# from rigorous
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 4
consumer "rotection to deregulation and greater industry control+2 Law also e*"lains
how the roots of !SDAs $ehind@the@scenes deregulation cam"aign were laid out+ A
3:A3 memo from the food ins"ection chiefs des4 stated that# 1S"ecial interest grou"s
su""orting the meat and "oultry industry have won and now have the ear of
5ashington# they "aid their dues and are now in the drivers seat2+ his ty"e of $ehind
the scenes corru"tion must sto"+
he National Conference of State Legislatures we$site lists the government
agencies that are associated with our food safety# $ut are not doing their 6o$+ he FDA#
6o$ is to oversee all domestic and im"orted foods other than meat and "oultryB his
government entitys duty is to develo" guidelines for state monitoring of food "roduction#
food service# esta$lish standards for "ac4aging# and also issue food recalls+ hen we
have the CDC &Center for Disease Control'> their 6o$ is to investigate and monitor
re"orts of food$orne illnesses and wor4 with state agencies to control them+ In addition#
the CDCs 6o$ is to develo" "u$lic health "olicies to "revent these diseases# and also
train local and state food safety "ersonnel+ he !S De"artment of Agriculture &!SDA'
6o$ is to oversee the safety of meat and "oultry and related "roducts# $oth domestic and
im"orted+ he !SDA ins"ects animals for diseases $oth $efore and after slaughtering+
It also monitors "oultry "rocessing "lants# and educates the industry and consumers on
safe food handling+ he !S ?nvironmental %rotection Agency &?%A' regulates to*ic
su$stances to 4ee" them from contaminating the food chain+ It also oversees the safety
of "esticides used on food "roducts+ he De"artment of Commerces National ;ceanic
and Atmos"heric Administration oversees fish and seafood "roducts+ It ins"ects and
certifies fishing vessels# seafood "rocessing "lants# and stores where seafood is sold to
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 5
consumers+ Last $ut not least of the governing $odies that is involved with our food
safety# and that is the !S Customs and Corder %rotection# not one youd thin4 would $e
involved# $ut they are+ heir 6o$ is to wor4 with other federal agencies to ma4e sure that
all foods entering the !nited States from other countries are safe and meet !S
standards+
he National Conference of State Legislatures we$site states that# 1he Federal
Meat Ins"ection Act of 3:/) re8uired the !SDA to ins"ect all cattle# shee"# swine#
goats# and horses $rought into any "lant to $e slaughtered and "rocessed into "roducts
for human consum"tion+2 he ne*t ma6or food safety law was initiated in 3:.(+ he
3:.( %oultry %roducts Ins"ection Act made "oultry ins"ection mandatory for any
domesticated $irds intended for use as human food+ his ins"ection act# as we 4now
does not wor4# due to the constant out$rea4 of salmonella+ At any rate# the first food
safety laws of 3:/) and 3:.( were amended in 3:)(@3:)A+ hese newly amended laws
included state level cor"oration in the ins"ection "rocess# and re8uired that their
ins"ection "rograms $e# 1at least e8ual to2 the federal ins"ection "rogram+ he
almidgeDAi4en Act was designed to avoid du"lication of duties $etween state and
federal ins"ections+ Currently we have -( state run meat and "oultry ins"ection
"rograms# and California is not on the list+ Nonetheless# the !SDA is re8uired $y law to
oversee and review the states "rograms# and if one fails# it is to assume the
res"onsi$ility of the "lant+
5ith si* different government agencies associated with our food safety# youd
thin4 we have a $etter system+ Cut the American "eo"le are still dying daily from
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 6
food$orne illnesses+ his calls for new regulations+ he self monitoring $y the industry
itself doesnt wor4+ he food industry hires for@"rofit ins"ection com"anies 4nown as
third@"arty auditors who arent re8uired $y law to meet any federal standards and have
no government su"ervision+ Some of these monitors choose to follow guidelines from
$ig industrial food com"anies+ An article on the Cloom$erg+com we$site entitled# 1Food
Sic4ens Millions as Com"any@%aid Chec4s find it Safe2 &-/3-'# states 1the out$rea4s
were seeing are endless# Doug %owell# lead author of an Aug+ ,/# -/3-# study on third@
"arty monitors called 1Audits and Ins"ections Are Never ?nough+ %owell# a "rofessor of
food safety at Eansas State !niversity says Americans are at ris4 whenever they go to
a su"ermar4et+2&Armor# Li""ert# Smith# -/3-' ;ur food safety is ins"ected $y the Food
Safety and Ins"ection Service &FSIS' of the !SDA+ It ins"ects and monitors all meat#
eggs and "oultry sold in the !S and foreign countries# to ensure safety+
;ver the years# food safety laws have $een lo$$ied $efore Congress# laws have
$een "ro"osed# and some have even made it to $ecome law+ Cut su$se8uently# very
little has changed+ he traditional ins"ection "rocess under the original meat and
"oultry act re8uired the ins"ectors to use the sight# smell and touch method+ Cut in the
early 3::/s food safety officials recogni0ed that this method was not ade8uate+ 7ence
the !SDA integrated the "athogenic $acteria testing on certain foods+ As a matter of
fact# a World News Digest article on 1Agriculture< Stronger Food Safety Laws Sought>
;ther Develo"ments2# shared that 1Agriculture Secretary Dan Flic4man on August -:#
3::( "ro"osed a new food safety legislation that would give the !+S+ De"artment of
Agriculture &!SDA' greater authority in recalling contaminated meat and "enali0ing
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 7
com"anies that violated federal regulations+2 As of this writing# I was una$le to locate
documentation where this "ro"osal $ecame a law+
Most food "roducing com"anies develo" their own set of standards and rules for
food safety+ ?ven with their good intentions# they still fall short of the goal+ 5ith the
numerous out$rea4s of food$orne illnesses out$rea4s 6ust in the last decade# is "roof
that here is still wor4 to $e done# which would further the safety of our food+ I feel that
new legislation can start with all food$orne illnesses $eing made "u$lic# $y naming all
involved# including the food "roducing com"any and the third "arty ins"ection com"any
that gave them a "assing grade+ 5e need a stricter ins"ection system to monitor our
im"orted foods which are not currently $eing ins"ected+ As in the case of the Me*ican
food "roducer in -/33# there were 3/) Americans in -. states who got salmonella
"oisoning from "a"ayas+ he FDA traced it to a "lantation near Me*icos $order with
Fuatemala+ he grower# %arra Agro"roductos SA "lant# was tested for salmonella $y a
"rivate la$oratory "aid $y the FDA+ Since this out$rea4# %arra found a way to get
around the order+ In ;cto$er of -/33# FDA ins"ector revisited the "lant# only to find#
1"ic4ers with unwashed handsG+ %ac4ing areas were e*"osed to a "igsty and
chic4ens+2 &Armour# Li""ert# Smith -/3-' Since FDA has no 6urisdiction over the "lant#
or any authority to order im"rovements or close the facility# its re"ort led to no change+
In Hanuary of -/3,# the !+S+ Food and Drug Administration "ro"osed two new food
safety rules that will hel" "revent food$orne illness+ %er the FDA we$site news release#
1the "ro"osed rules im"lement the landmar4# $i"artisan FDA Food Safety Moderni0ation
AC &FSMA'2 &FDA 3'+ his is a ste" in the right direction+ At the same time# the FDA
states# 1he FDA Food Safety Moderni0ation Act is a common sense law that shifts the
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 8
food safety focus from reactive to "reventive# said 7ealth and 7uman Services
Secretary Eathleen Se$elius2 &FDA 3'+ Now# this is all common sense+ No one should
$e su$6ected to food contamination in an industriali0ed country# not in this century+
In conclusion# additional legislation could $e accom"lished if every American
citi0en voted# and then voted for change+ Cy writing to our government officials# and
$eing adamant a$out our food safety# we can change the laws+ ICollectively# we could
sto" "urchasing food that we feel is not u" to standard+ 5hen we fight in num$ers# we
have a $etter chance of winning+ At the same time# when the FDA "ro"oses new rules#
the "u$lic has 3-/ days to comment+ Cut most of the time we dont hear a$out these
"ro"osals# $ecause we dont stay a$reast of current events or dont care to watch the
news+ o address this concern we could re8uest that these new "ro"osals $e made
more "u$lic# "ossi$ly through all news media sources and social networ4 we$sites+
Another legislation that Secretary Flic4man had "ro"osed in 3::( was to give his
de"artment authority and "ower to levy fines on unsafe or unsanitary food com"anies#
of u" to J3//#/// "er day for each violation+ At that time the !SDA did not have the
authority to assess financial "enalties+ So this is another "ossi$le solution+ 5e need
legislation to address the concerns of micro$ial tests+ It should $e a law forcing food
com"anies to conduct micro$ial testing+ Last $ut not least# concerned citi0ens must
"ress for a new food safety system# $y contacting our elected officials+ 5e can all let
Congress and !SDA 4now your concerns+ For more information# write F+A+%+# A3/ First
St+# N+?+# Suite ),/# 5ashington# DC -///-@,),, &Law -/3-'+
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 9
References
1Agriculture< Stronger Food Safety Laws Sought; Other Developments+2 Facts on File.
World News Digest. Info$ase Learning# ,3 Dec+ 3::(+
htt"<DDwnd+info$aselearning+comDrecordurl+as"*BwidK:.(-,LnidK-3,:(3Lum$ty
"eK/
Amour# S+ Li""ert# H+ Smith# M+ &-/3-# ;cto$er 33'+2Food Sickens Millions as ompan!"
#aid hecks Find $t Sa%e+ Cloom$erg+ Retrieved from
htt"<DDwww+$loom$erg+comDnewsD-/3-@3/@33Dfood@sic4ens@millions@as@industry@
"aid@ins"ectors@find@it@safe+html
CDC 5e$site< Centers for Disease Control and %revention+ &-/3,# Novem$er -3'
htt"<DDwww+cdc+govD5inna$leCattlesDFoodSafetyDinde*+html
Food safety+ &-/3,# Novem$er -3'+ Winning &attles. Retrieved from
htt"<DDwww+cdc+govD5inna$leCattlesDFoodSafetyDinde*+html
Law# C+ &3::-'+ M'merica(s looming %ood sa%et! crisis+M )S' Toda! Maga*ine 3-3# no+
-.(/< --+ Retrieved from htt"<DDwww+usatoday+comD
5allinga# D+ &-/3,'+ Industriali0ed Agriculture 7as %roduced an !nhealthy Food
System+ In S+ C+ 7unnicutt &?d+'# 't $ssue+ $s the Western Diet Making the World
Sick++ Detroit< Freenhaven %ress+ &Re"rinted from San Francisco Medicine#
-/3/# Novem$er'+ Retrieved from
htt"<DDissuu+comDsfmedsocietyDdocsDnovem$erNnutritionD3BeK,.,,(.-D=//3:)/
More Laws Are Needed for Americans Food Safety 1