Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 6/9/10

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration should implement a risk-based approach in which data and expertise are used to identify in the food supply chain where there is the greatest potential for contamination, the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council said in a report released Tuesday.

Using such an approach would help FDA to more efficiently and appropriately direct its resources and optimize its chances of discovering problems before they become widespread outbreaks, the committee that wrote the report said in a news release.

The report guides FDA in developing a risk-based model. The document also outlines several steps the agency should take to improve efficiency, such as increasing coordination with state and other federal agencies that share responsibility for protecting the nation's food supply.

FDA monitors some 80 percent of the nation's food supply, including seafood, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables. USDA, meanwhile, is responsible for meat, poultry, and egg products. State and local agencies share in conducting food production plant inspections, surveillance, and investigations of outbreaks. Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness led to a congressional request for a review of gaps in FDA's food safety system.

FDA has been criticized for not proactively monitoring and inspecting food suppliers and distributors. However, the report notes that the agency lacks resources; it is responsible for more than 150,000 food facilities, more than 1 million restaurants and other retail food establishments, and more than 2 million farms, as well as millions of tons of imports.

Single agency

Among other recommendations, the report also suggests that the federal government should establish a centralized food safety data center to collect information and conduct rapid assessments of food safety risks and appropriate policy interventions. This center would expand capacity and reduce interagency competition for resources, the committee said.

"It could also serve as an intermediate step toward consolidating food safety activities within a single agency, which many individuals and organizations have called for," the news release states.

To be able to view the full report, click here. 

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