990715 USA Needs “Coordinated Food Safety Approach”

Washington - The President's Council on Food Safety -- which includes representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency -- held a meeting in Washington, D.C. to discuss and begin development of a comprehensive food safety strategic plan. In response to the meeting, Dr. Rhona Applebaum, Executive Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for the National Food Processors Association (NFPA), made the following comments:

“NFPA has supported the President's Council on Food Safety since it was established in 1998. We believe that a coordinated approach to U.S. food safety -- which focuses on a single food policy, rather than the creation of a single food agency -- holds the greatest promise for further enhancing the safety of our nation's food supply.

“The following points should be critical components of a coordinated approach to food safety:

- The Initiative should focus on proper assessment, handling and communication of risk management efforts. Agency resources should bedirected toward the areas where there is sound evidence of real risk, with an emphasis placed on how to communicate risk to consumers in ways that inform without causing panic.

- Research should focus on improved detection methods, development of data for risk assessment, and on pathogen control, reduction or elimination. Research projects must include industry participation and be guided by real- world knowledge.

- Increased surveillance for faster identification and response to foodborne disease must have industry's science and technology people involved early as part of a partnership. Such an 'early warning system' must have a dedicated management structure for the coordination of data and for decision making during crises, and must avoid improper decisions based on poor information or lack of facts.

- While the food industry strongly supports the use of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points), mandatory HACCP should not be required for all foods. Rather, resources should be directed toward where the risk lies.

- Coordinated food safety partnerships with federal, state and local health agencies will only be effective if uniformity of all safety regulations is ensured throughout the 50 states.

- FDA, USDA, EPA and CDC must educate the public on food safety. Focusing resources on educating the public will be more effective in enhancing food safety than mandating HACCP for the processed food industry. Education efforts should be aimed where they will have the most impact -- i.e., in the schools and in local newspapers -- and industry should be a partner in this educational activity.

- Government's food safety activities should be fully funded through general appropriations, not through user fees, which would be, in reality, a new tax on foods. NFPA has consistently made the point that we cannot support the use of user fees for funding agency services.

“On July 3, President Clinton directed the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury Department to undertake steps to prevent unsafe food from being imported into the United States. The actions outlined in this Presidential Directive closely reflect those urged in the last year by NFPA, the food industry, Members of Congress and the General Accounting Office (GAO). NFPA repeatedly has emphasized that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Customs Service, under existing statute, have ample authority to address both domestic and imported food safety issues. Coupled with the increased resources Congress has provided FDA, it has been our strong belief that directing government regulatory agencies to fully utilize their existing authority is the best way to truly enhance the safety of the nation's food supply.

“Our nation's food supply is widely regarded as one of the safest in the world. NFPA supports a strong government program to provide every reasonable assurance of the continued safety of America's food supply. By working cooperatively, consumers, industry and government can continue to achieve the highest levels of food safety.”

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