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Congress Raps FDA In Food Safety Hearing

July 18, 2007

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A Congressional subcommittee has heard testimony warning that U.S. consumers are vulnerable to increasingly dangerous food imports because of “minimal” vigilance by the Food and Drug Administration.

Investigators told the committee that importers have learned how to game the system to get around product safety rules.

Members of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee heard from investigators, who said fish importers were importing more smaller, younger fish to compensate for the higher levels of toxins found in their larger fish. Investigators also said importers picked ports of entry based on their assessment of the level of FDA scrutiny found in each location.

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the full committee, blamed much of the problem on what he called the sorry state of federal oversight of the domestic food supply. The problem is compounded, he said, because food imports have doubled over the last decade.

“More than a quarter of all fruit purchased by Americans is imported. More than 80 percent of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported,” Dingell said. “Between 2002 and 2006, FDA-regulated food imports from China rose from approximately 100,000 shipments to nearly 235,000. Experts predict those shipments will reach 300,000 this year.”

FDA also came in for harsh criticism from committee members for its decision to close seven of its 13 laboratories. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) said that action could expose consumers to even more unsafe foods – both domestically produced and imports.

Some food safety experts, however, said the problem is deeper than one federal agency. Dr. Pascal Imperato, of State University of New York, said the governments entire food safety system is based on what he called an “outdated paradigm.” He said food products today are much more complex – as well as number numerous – than they were when FDA regulations were drafted.

Still, it was clear Dingell continued to hold FDA primarily responsible for gaps in the food safety net, criticizing the agency’s response to the growing number for food safety problems.

“They want to name a ‘Food Czar’ without giving him any real authority, propose a sweeping reorganization of their field inspection operations, and close some of their most crucial laboratories that expose dangerous imports,” he said.

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