Action Needed To Ensure Safety Of Food Supply

June 9, 2008

Tomato Salmonella Outbreak Could Have Been Identified and Contained Earlier with Mandatory Recall and Traceability Systems

WASHINGTON – With a rare strain of salmonella sickening 145 people inthe United States since mid-April due to contaminated tomatoes, Energyand Commerce Committee Vice Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) today called onthe federal government to adopt and implement a common-sense mandatory recall and traceability systemfor food products. While responsible companies have pulled tomatoesfrom their stores, a full recall has still not been issued.

"This situation is another chilling example of the flaws in ournation's food safety system," said DeGette. "The government must havethe authority not only to issue a mandatory recall, but also trace foodproducts throughout the supply chain. A mandatory recall system workshand-in-hand with a traceability network – first, the government couldquickly identify where contamination is occurring and second, identify- from farm to fork - where the products have been shipped so we canpull them off store shelves. This targeted approach also would makerecalls more efficient, as it protects the vast majority of businesseswhich produce and serve safe food."

Earlier this year, the Energy and Commerce Committee released a food safety discussion draft, the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2008,which includes DeGette's mandatory recall authority. Since then, theCommittee has held hearings on the discussion draft for input.Meanwhile, the Energy and Commerce Committee is poised to hold anotherhearing Thursday.

"While I am grateful that this legislation contains mandatory recallauthority, a traceability system would enable the recall authority towork more efficiently. If a mandatory recall and traceability systemhad been in place during this latest outbreak, we could have identifiedand contained it much more quickly."

DeGette has introduced two major pieces of food safety legislation, H.R. 3484 and 3485,that would give the federal government mandatory recall authority anddirect the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a product traceabilitysystem. H.R. 3484 has been incorporated into the Energy and CommerceCommittee's food safety legislation.