Does the legislation support a new food safety system focused on prevention?
The legislation would indeed transform FDA’s approach to food safety from a system that far too often responds to outbreaks rather than prevents them. It would do so by requiring and then holding companies accountable for understanding the risks to the food supply under their control and then implementing effective measures to prevent contamination. FDA is eager to further the development of this modern system. Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our partners at USDA, as well with industry, consumers, states, localities, and other key stakeholders, we are working to establish basic standards for preventive controls. This system will make our overall approach and philosophy to food safety more consistent across government. Key provisions in the legislation relevant to this goal include section 103, which requires facilities to conduct hazard analyses and write and implement a preventive controls plan. Section 105 requires adherence to science-based safety sta
