FROM THE
EDITOR
One of the most exciting news items we report in this issue is the launching of the Reportable Food Registry (RFR, see page 8),
which is an electronic portal for the food industry to report when
there is reasonable probability that an item of food will cause serious adverse health consequences. The RFR helps the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) better protect public
health by tracking patterns and targeting inspections. Since the RFR is said to reflect a fundamental principle of the President’s Food Safety
Working Group (FSWG)—that is, “preventing
harm to consumers is our first priority”—I decided
to further investigate the FSWG and what it
means to the food industry as a whole.
The FSWG was created by President Obama on March 19, 2009,
to advise him on how to upgrade the country’s food safety system,
foster coordination of food safety efforts throughout the government and ensure laws are being adequately enforced to keep the
American people safe from foodborne illness. The Working Group
is chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebe-lius and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Participating agencies
include FDA, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland
Security, the Department of Commerce, the Department of State,
the Environmental Protection Agency and several offices of the
White House.
This group’s task is to recommend a new, public health-focused
approach to food safety based on three core principles: (1) prioritiz-ing prevention; ( 2) strengthening surveillance and enforcement; and
( 3) improving response and recovery. The group is taking a number
of steps to operationalize these principles, including:
• Issuing a final rule to prevent Salmonella contamination in eggs
during production and instituting a Salmonella verification program to curb contamination of poultry products
• Reducing the threat of E. coli O157:H7 by boosting enforcement
in beef plants and providing contamination control guidance to
growers of leafy greens, tomatoes and melons
• Building a national traceback and response system for all food
products
• Improving the organization of federal food safety responsibilities
to address cross-cutting problems, clarify duties and enhance accountability
While any single step may affect only certain segments of the
food industry, the FSWG’s goals, scope and initiatives will, sooner
or later, affect all aspects and levels of the industry.
Consistent with the mantra of this administration, participation
in the activities of the FSWG is enthusiastically encouraged. As key
stakeholders in the food safety arena, we should actively contribute
our ideas and expertise to the ongoing dialogue. Collectively, the
voices of our industry can make a difference!
Best Regards,
Barbara VanRenterghem, Ph.D.
Editor
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