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RCED-97-249R 1 (1997-09-09)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaclrt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 'I O United States TMAJ General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20548 Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division B-277952 September 9, 1997 Congressional Committees Subject; Food Safety: Fundamental Changes Needed to Improve Food Safety Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness have once again raised questions about the safety of the U.S. food supply. Last month, a number of illnesses caused by hamburger contaminated with E.coli 0157:H7 resulted in the subsequent recall of 25 million pounds of ground beef patties and the closing of a major meat processing facility. In 1996, and again in 1997, outbreaks of foodbome illness were traced to raspberries imported from Guatemala that were contaminated with cyclospora, a parasite. More recently, in April of this year, a hepatitis A outbreak was traced to contaminated strawberries that were served as part of the federal school lunch program. The recent outbreaks are not a new phenomenon but only well-publicized examples of a much more widespread and ongoing problem. In May 1996, we reported that between 6.5 million and 81 million cases of foodborne illness and as many as 9,100 related deaths occur each year. (GAO/RCED-96-96). To address the public's concern over the safety of the food supply, the Congress will undoubtedly be considering a number of actions. In this context, we want to bring to your attention the findings and recommendations expressed in a number of GAO reports on the food safety issue. Our work has pointed time and again to the need to address this issue at a very fundamental level. The natural inclination to react to each event with a patch here and a band-aid there has not proven to be an effective long-term solution. As discussed in summary form below and more fully in the reports listed in enclosure I, our work suggests that more basic actions need to be taken. In particular, we have recommended that the highly fragmented federal food safety structure needs to be replaced with a uniform, risk-based inspection system under a single food safety agency. While some administrative actions can be taken to improve the system, the kinds of fundamental changes that we believe are needed will require legislative action. GAO/RCED-97-249R Improving Food Safety

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