FDA to Keep More Watchful Eye on Foreign Food Producers

FDA food safety officials want to increase the agency’s overseas inspection presence 20-fold, Congress Daily (subscription) reports today: “The Obama administration intends to increase the number of inspections of foreign food plants from 100 per year to 2,000 per year, a key FDA official said Wednesday.”

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FDA Calls BPA Risky, but Puts off Regulation

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration made its long-awaited announcement on the safety of bisphenol-A, a chemical ingredient in hard plastics, food can liners, and other common products. The verdict? “[R]ecent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. FDA also recognizes substantial uncertainties with respect to the overall interpretation of these studies and their potential implications for human health effects of BPA exposure.”

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Food Safety Agenda Suffers without USDA Appointee

President Obama still has not nominated an undersecretary for food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as Congress Daily reports today. Almost a year into his administration, the Food Safety Inspection Service – the federal agency in charge of making sure meat, poultry, and eggs are safe and labeled properly – is still without a leader.

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Rumors of a Regulatory Foe at OIRA

Update: Lutter Confirmed at OIRA.

As reported by Rena Steinzor at the Center for Progressive Reform blog, rumors are circulating the Randall Lutter may be taking a deputy position at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the executive branch gatekeeper for all things regulatory. OIRA Administrator Cass Sunstein has neither denied nor confirmed the rumors, Steinzor says.

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FDA Delays Decision on Chemical in Plastics

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) missed a self-imposed deadline to make a determination about the safety of bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical ingredient in hard plastics, food can liners, and other common products. Studies have linked BPA exposure to heart disease, developmental disorders, and other health problems.

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Food Safety Bill, OSHA Nominee Approved by Senate Panel

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee met this morning to mark up the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) and to vote on the nomination of David Michaels to serve as head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

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FDA May Delay Oyster Rule after Industry Pressure

In response to industry and political pressure, the Food and Drug Administration may be backing away from a regulation that would require oyster sellers to process oysters to kill Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria that can sicken or kill those it infects. The regulation was supposed to take effect in 2011, but FDA may delay action while it further studies the issue.

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Despite Life-Saving Potential, Oystermen Balk at Regulation’s Cost

The oyster industry is fighting the Food and Drug Administration over FDA’s new policy intended to make oyster consumption safer. The FDA said last month that oysters from the Gulf of Mexico harvested during warmer months must be processed to kill the bacteria vibrio vulnificus which can sicken and even kill consumers, especially those with chronic illnesses.

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USDA Budget Leaves Food Safety Agency Wanting

When Congress finalized on Thursday the Department of Agriculture’s FY 2010 budget, it fulfilled President Obama’s request to give a modest funding boost to the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). Unfortunately, it appears the agency will be unable to close the gap in its inspection force responsible for policing the nation’s supply of meat and poultry.

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Top Ten Risky Foods under FDA’s Watch

lettuceYesterday, I blogged about a New York Times article that details the myriad flaws in the USDA’s regulation of ground beef. Today, a new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) spotlights the Food and Drug Administration’s struggles to ensure the safety of non-meat products.

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