Sludge Watch ==> FDA stymied in push to boost safety of produce -

[Maureen Reilly]

FDA stymied in push to boost safety of produce amid rise in outbreaks of 
illness, agency urged new rules, monitoring

16.may.07
Wall Street Journal
Jane Zhang
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117927974746604312.html?mod=home_whats_news_us


WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, under fire for a string 
of illnesses caused by contaminated vegetables, earlier this year came up 
with an ambitious, industry-endorsed plan calling for tough new regulations 
on the handling of fresh produce.
But, the story says, the plan went nowhere after it got a cold reception 
from FDA's parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services. And 
even today, amid continuing concern about the safety of the nation's food 
supply, efforts to address the problem remain in limbo.
People close to the FDA were cited as saying HHS officials led by acting 
Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan rejected the FDA plan, which was presented in 
February at HHS headquarters. At the meeting, the FDA warned that its 
current approach to protecting the safety of fruits and vegetables, which 
relies on the industry following voluntary guidelines, was failing to stop 
an increase in foodborne illnesses, according to people familiar with the 
matter. Those in attendance included Robert Brackett, director of the FDA's 
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Among other things, the FDA outlined a three-year effort that would pump $76 
million into its coffers to monitor produce safety and impose stringent 
rules on growers and processors to prevent contamination. Such a campaign 
could cut produce-related outbreaks of illness in half, the FDA officials 
said.
HHS spokeswoman Christina Pearson was quoted as saying that the February 
meeting was just a background session, with the FDA presenting "a wide 
variety of options available to us in our efforts to improve food safety," 
and didn't require a policy or regulatory decision.
An FDA spokeswoman referred calls seeking comment from Dr. Brackett to David 
Acheson, who on May 1 assumed the newly created position of FDA assistant 
commissioner for food protection. Dr. Acheson, who at the time of the 
meeting was chief medical officer of the FDA's food safety center, didn't 
attend the gathering but was involved in preparing materials for it.
Businesses often resist new regulations. But in recent months, major 
food-industry groups, including the United Fresh Produce Association and the 
Grocery Manufacturers Association, have called for new FDA rules to ensure 
the safety of fruits and vegetables, an approach they think will be more 
effective than voluntary measures in bolstering consumer confidence.