Just a note on food, following last Thursday’s post. The Washington Post business section on Saturday carried a piece on how food that gets to your table and how that is regulated by two separate agencies – the USDA and the FDA. It had an interesting picture of a table where on one half, the products were regulated by the FDA and on the other half by the USDA.
In the article – "Our overall food-safety system needs comprehensive reform. People are losing confidence," said Rep. Rosa DaLauro (D-Conn.), a frequent critic of the FDA’s oversight of seafood and produce. Take note of Thursday’s posting along these lines – food stands to be the next target of Congress….
On a related note, on July 24, the Food Czar submitted testimony on food safety before Congress. It was entitled Federal Efforts to Mitigate Vulnerabilities in the Food Supply Chain.
And, if you ate french cut green beans that were canned over the weekend, take note. The FDA issued a press release warning of the potential for botulism.
So, I don’t mean to be glib, but whether you are taking drugs or eating food, in our increasingly risk-averse society, there is cause for concern. The environment is ripe for food, so to speak, and next year’s Congress should be poised to take on the food oversight. As mentioned previously in this blog, it is perhaps best that food be overseen by one agency. The EMEA does not oversee food, but just drugs. That seems like a big enough job.
