The US Food and Drug Administration has indicated that it is seeking broader regulatory powers, proposing increased food safety restrictions and the hiring of third-party inspectors in a bid to enhance safety across the food supply chain.
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The FDA said that it hoped these measures would address new threats to the US food safety system.
“Rising food imports, increasing consumption of convenience foods, and new foodborne pathogens are among the challenges we face,” the FDA’s food protection report said.
“To address these challenges, we must move toward a food safety and defence system that is more proactive and strategic.”
The report detailed food safety measures already undertaken – including the approval of irradiation for produce and the creation of food inspection offices in China, India, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
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By GlobalDataThe FDA said it is also seeking legislative changes that would grant it the power to hire private-sector inspectors in order to address issues of chronic understaffing, issue mandatory recalls and require food facilities to register with the FDA every two years.
The FDA has come under heavy fire from critics for its handling of a number of high-profile safety scares, including its management of food-borne illness issues and product recalls.
Earlier this year, the federal office struggled to find the source of a salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 1,300 people.
