It’s an oft-heard statement from officials at the Food and Drug Administration: The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires sufficient funding allocated by Congress in order to be a success. The testimony that Acting FDA Commissioner Stephen Ostroff and Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael Taylor gave before
Continue Reading FDA Tells Senate Subcommittee Full Funding is ‘Absolutely Critical’ for FSMA Success
FDA Finalizes FSMA Preventive Controls Rules For Human, Animal Foods
Four-and-a-half years after the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law, the first two major rules have been finalized. On Aug. 31, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials announced that they had submitted the final rules on preventive controls in human and animal food to the Federal
Continue Reading FDA Finalizes FSMA Preventive Controls Rules For Human, Animal Foods
House Appropriations Gives FSMA $41.5-Million Increase
The House Appropriations Committee has allocated a $41.5-million increase for the Food and Drug Administration’s food safety activities for fiscal year 2016, but it’s less than half of what President Obama’s budget requested. Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) said Thursday in his opening remarks before the subcommittee’s markup of
Continue Reading House Appropriations Gives FSMA $41.5-Million Increase
In Response to Michael Taylor
(This article by Roy Costa, a registered sanitarian and president of the consulting firm Environ Health Associates Inc., was originally posted here on May 22, 2015.) I appreciate Michael Taylor’s comments in the recent article (“Blue Bell and the Very Real Impact of the Food Safety Modernization Act”)
Continue Reading In Response to Michael Taylor
Taylor Says FDA is Working to Improve Consumer Confidence in GRAS
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is studying the regulatory comment submitted by consumer groups two weeks ago, suggesting that its rule for the process of determining food substances as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) be altered before it’s finalized. During last week’s Food Safety Summit in Baltimore, Michael Taylor,
Continue Reading Taylor Says FDA is Working to Improve Consumer Confidence in GRAS
Top Food Safety Officials Focused on Collaborating Over Combining Agencies
Top officials of U.S. food safety agencies are not wholeheartedly supportive of a single food safety agency, arguing that collaboration is a higher priority. During the Food Safety Summit in Baltimore on Thursday, leadership from the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and
Continue Reading Top Food Safety Officials Focused on Collaborating Over Combining Agencies
Senators, Food Industry Groups Call for More FSMA Funding
On the heels of a high-profile Listeria outbreak and the recall of all Blue Bell ice cream products, seven Democratic U.S. senators on Thursday called on the Senate Appropriations Committee to fully fund the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) by approving President Obama’s request for an additional $109.5 million
Continue Reading Senators, Food Industry Groups Call for More FSMA Funding
Top Food Safety Officials Weigh in on Key Issues
At the risk of sounding naive, Michael Taylor said Tuesday that he’s still feeling “great” about the progress made on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). As Deputy Commissioner for Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Taylor knew he was in front of a tough audience since
Continue Reading Top Food Safety Officials Weigh in on Key Issues
Investigation of GRAS Highlights Allergy to Peanut-Related Lupin
The Center for Public Integrity (CPI) published a lengthy investigative report on Tuesday summarizing the safety concerns associated with GRAS (generally recognized as safe) food additives, the controversies surrounding how they’re determined, and barriers to regulating them. The report’s key illustration of the concerns about GRAS was a peanut-related legume
Continue Reading Investigation of GRAS Highlights Allergy to Peanut-Related Lupin
WHO Uses World Health Day to Shine Light on Food Safety
Food safety is so important to everyone around the world that the World Health Organization (WHO) dedicated this year’s World Health Day — celebrated each year on April 7 — to spreading awareness of it. As readers of Food Safety News know, food contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or
Continue Reading WHO Uses World Health Day to Shine Light on Food Safety