Committee approves FDA food safety bill

The Senate’s bill to reform the FDA’s food safety authority has received unanimous approval from the Senate Health and Education Committee, chaired by Iowa’s Tom Harkin.  But, despite the strong bipartisan support for the bill, analysts say it might not see floor action until early next year.

Feedstuffs.com reports that, like the House version of the bill, the Senate measure would give the FDA new authorities to require so-called “hazard analysis and critical control point” plans from food companies it regulates.  It would also authorize FDA to order mandatory recalls and the agency would be given new powers to verify the safety of foreign suppliers and imported food. 

Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island chose not to offer his amendment on the non-theraputic use of antibiotics in food animals.  Harkin acknowledged the importance of the issue, but said more research is needed on the matter.  The House bill does not have any provisions concerning livestock antibiotics.