The biggest overhaul of the food safety laws since the Great Depression has passed the Senate.
Because of so many food-borne illnesses and recalls in recent years, this bill now allows the Food and Drug Administration to have the authority to recall tainted products on its own, inspect private food processors and set higher standards for food storage. The FDA will also be empowered to see that farmers and food companies prevent contamination. The FDA will set safety standards on imported food as well. However the bill does not cover meat, poultry or processed eggs which are more rigorously regulated by the Agriculture Department.
The Senate version of the bill differs in some ways from a food safety bill passed by the House of Representatives which caused delay in its passing.
The interest to us as pet owners is that this bill includes pet foods as well as human foods. Let’s hope that stronger measures will mean better quality food for our pets.
The President is expected to sign the bill very shortly.
Hopefully this is just the beginning of ensuring that ours and our pets food supply will be safe to consume. Prevention is the way to control contamination.
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