Every year in the United States, foodborne illnesses cause sickness, death, and significant economic and social costs that extend beyond the immediate victims. In January 2007, the Government Accountability Office designated federal oversight of food safety as a high-risk area because of the need to reduce risks to public health as well as the economy. In March 2009, President Obama announced the creation of a Food Safety Working Group to address the need to reduce foodborne illness.
A number of actions are being proposed to address these issues, including mandatory safety standards for foods such as fresh produce. However, there are significant inherent challenges in the implementation and enforcement of safety standards, primarily due to multi-stakeholder involvement, increased complexities in the food production and distribution chains, and fragmentation of oversight responsibilities.
The Produce Safety Summit: Implications of Mandatory Safety Standards, sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton and the Produce Safety Project at Georgetown University, took place on March 5, 2009, at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC. The Summit brought together over 50 participants, each with an active interest and unique perspective in produce safety and drawn from across the federal government, producers and growers, academia, state and local governments, retailers and food manufacturers, and consumer and public health organizations. They represented the community of stakeholders with both shared and unique interests and responsibilities related to produce safety standards implementation, compliance, and enforcement.
Mandatory safety standards for produce appear to be on the horizon. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed voluntary guidance documents for produce safety standards, as have various coalitions and organizations in the produce industry. Congress has introduced a number of bills with provisions that would direct the FDA to establish standards for the safe production and harvest of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, public interest groups are vigorously advocating for the government to adopt and enforce mandatory safety standards.
In recognition of this growing movement toward mandatory produce safety standards, the Summit featured an interactive simulation to stimulate a forward-looking dialogue among stakeholders about the implications of such standards and develop
considerations that could be used to inform the standard-setting process today. One specific type of commodity—domestic fresh leafy green produce—was used in the simulation for the purpose of encouraging focused and meaningful discussions; however, participants examined issues that are truly applicable across all commodities throughout the course of the Summit. The simulation was designed to focus exploration on the challenges of standards implementation, compliance, and enforcement rather than delving into specific content or factors within the mandatory standards themselves. The objectives of the simulation were to:
The Pew Charitable Trusts commends Representative Tom Latham (R-IA) for his leadership in securing approximately $27 million for food safety in the House appropriations bill funding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. The new money would help the FDA protect millions of Americans from the dangers of foodborne illnesses and strengthen consumer confidence in the food supply.
More infoA multistate outbreak of Salmonella Heidelberg infections linked to ground turkey in 2011 sickened 136 people, causing 37 hospitalizations and one death. The Pew Charitable Trusts' analysis of the outbreak found numerous inadequacies in the foodborne illness surveillance system that, if addressed, could help to prevent illnesses and, in some cases, deaths.
More infoNo matter how careful you are, foodborne bacteria can find a way into your child’s lunch and make him or her sick. Symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and fever. Children are often among the most vulnerable, and in some cases, illnesses can lead to hospitalization, long-term health complications and even death.
More infoThis interactive graphic represents the ten most widespread multistate foodborne illness outbreaks linked to FDA-regulated products since FSMA was enacted, which constitute a small portion of total foodborne illnesses reported during that period.
More infoIn recent months, the White House has stalled on a host of pending rules, including implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
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