US Department of Health and Human Services Announces the Food Protection Plan

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a comprehensive plan to strengthen food safety initiatives both domestically and abroad. The Food Protection Plan will use a collaborated approach of both science and risk management to meet the growing demands of the American public for safer food standards. Click here to read the full article.

“America's food supply is among the safest in the world, and we enjoy unprecedented choice and convenience in filling the cupboard. Yet, we face new challenges to meet both the changing demands of a global economy and consumers' expectations," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said. "This Food Protection Plan will implement a strategy of prevention, intervention and response to build safety into every step of the food supply chain."

The Plan is made up of three core principals: PREVENTION, INTERVENTION and RESPONSE. As a part of PREVENTION efforts, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to work with industry leaders on both the local, state and federal level, to minimize vulnerabilities and strengthen product safety. Through INTERVENTION approaches, the plan will focus on inspections and samplings at the manufacturer and processer level both domestic and abroad. The REPSONSE effort’s key focus is to better reaction and communication to food safety threats and emergencies.

With over $2 Trillion in imported foods expected this year and with that number tripling by 2015, the need for action cannot be overestimated. The American public is no longer a stranger to contaminated foods and is no longer silent regarding this issue as well.

FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., presented the Food Protection Plan at a press conference in Washington, D.C. and stated, "FDA must keep pace with this transformation so that the safety of the nation's food supply remains second to none. The Food Protection Plan calls for effective action before an outbreak occurs."

For a copy of The Food Protection Plan, click here.