|
|
Public Policy Issue Briefs
 | |
Issue: Food Safety
Overview: The National Restaurant Association considers food safety a top priority for the restaurant industry. Restaurateurs protect public trust at every step of the food chain, from ensuring the safety of the food coming into their operations to adhering to top food-safety standards in food preparation.
|
|
|
|
Background
Congress and the Administration are taking a close look at the nation’s federal systems to protect food safety. While no bills have cleared Congress yet, action is being discussed on several fronts:
• Improving the FDA’s capacity: Some critics argue that the FDA doesn’t have the resources or authority it needs to do its job. House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) and others have suggested a range of proposals, including increasing FDA funding; holding FDA more accountable for food-safety results; giving the agency authority to issue mandatory recalls; and empowering the FDA to create national food registries for adulterated foods and require everyone in the food chain — restaurants
included — to report to that registry.
• Increasing the safety of imported foods: An estimated $2 trillion in imported products entered the United States last year and experts expect that amount to triple by 2015.
A top-level White House interagency working group released its first report on import safety in September. The report advocates that the United States move toward a risk-based, prevention-focused model rather than relying on the current system of “snapshots” at the border to interdict unsafe products.
• Improving produce safety: Recent large, multi-state foodborne-illness outbreaks linked to contaminated produce have increased public concern about the safety of fresh produce. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is working on a produce safety bill that will include mandatory regulation of the fresh produce industry — which the industry itself has called for.
Why Policymakers Must Make Food Safety the Highest Priority
• Consumers must have the highest confidence in our nation’s food supply. The U.S. food supply is the safest in the world, and our 21st century marketplace means we must evolve our food safety and regulatory approaches to keep pace with new science and a global economy. When a consumer walks into a restaurant, they must be able to know the food is safe. We need to ensure public confidence in the federal government systems that regulate food safety.
• Voluntary produce safety standards are no longer enough. The increased demand for fresh produce presents restaurant operators with a great opportunity and responsibility. The National Restaurant Association supports the produce industry’s aggressive steps to enhance produce safety. Yet the produce industry’s initiatives are largely based on self-regulation and voluntary compliance. The Association urges Congress to require the FDA to develop science-based, national standards for fresh fruits and vegetables, with stricter standards developed for certain commodities based on risk.
• The restaurant industry is a leader in food safety, from farm to table. The National Restaurant Association and its members are working hand-in-hand with all parties to ensure the safest U.S. food supply, from farm to table. We are committed to food safety, and our relationships with our suppliers are an important part of ensuring that our food is safe and from the best available sources. Restaurants also are committed to food safety education. The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s ServSafe® Food Safety program has awarded more than 3 million certifications to foodservice professionals in proper food handling.
Questions?
Contact Dan Roehl at (202) 331-5900 or droehl@restaurant.org.
Related Association news releases
•
[July 30, 2009]
National Restaurant Association Issues Statement About House Passage of Food Safety Reform
•
[July 7, 2009]
National Restaurant Association Praises Obama Administration Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Food Safety Programs
|
|
© Copyright 2009 National Restaurant Association. All rights reserved.
RSS Feeds