In a listeria scare this month, microwave-meal brand, Amy’s Kitchen, recalled almost 80
thousand cases of food possibly made with tainted spinach. But this was minor compared
to last year when a California slaughterhouse recalled nearly 9 million pounds of beef after
processing “diseased and unsound animals”, according to the USDA. So, who regulates the
food we are eating in America?
Well, there are two main regulatory agencies in the government which impose and enforce
food safety laws: the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Both
agencies work with state and local-level employees to make sure food for the public is clean,
safe and properly labeled, as per the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Although both federal agencies overlap in their food safety regulations, there are some
general differences.
The U. S. Department of Agriculture, as its name would suggest, is mostly responsible
for the nation’s agricultural industry, as well as animal welfare and forestry. The
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, or FSIS, oversees food processing and distribution,
and they take most of the responsibility for testing meat, poultry and eggs before they’re
sold.
The FDA, on the other hand, takes more of a regulatory role. While the USDA inspects
food regularly, the FDA is reportedly more likely to act on tips from consumers. The
FDA is also the only government agency capable of issuing mandatory recalls. Because it’s
an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services, the FDA is concerned with
public health and the enforcement of a wider scale of products - like medications, cosmetics
and tobacco.
Yet another important food-safety regulator is the food-producing business, itself. Many
companies keep cautious records and test their own products, to make sure they aren’t violating
federal law. Any violations of food safety acts can hold massive fines and even jail
time for those responsible.
However, the FDA and the USDA are reportedly understaffed and overworked. An audit of USDA
inspectors from 2008 to 2011 found that, in almost a third of pig slaughterhouses, inspectors
did not fully meet standards of inspection, which led to federal food safety violations.
Both agencies work to keep American citizens safe and healthy. According to the USDA website,
the agency expects to prevent as many as 25 thousand cases of foodborne illness annually,
from bacteria like E.Coli and Salmonella. The USDA claims to inspect about 6,000 food
processing plants every year.
So can you trust the food you eat? Well, even though the federal government has these agencies
in place, the CDC reports that 1 in 6 people get sick each year from foodborne illnesses.
In the end, it’s a good idea to be careful of what you eat.
Big business has a big stake in what food is served in America’s public school system.
To learn why this is kind of a scary idea, check out this video from our friends at AJ+.
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