WASHINGTON — In the last decade, Americans have been sickened by salmonella from cucumbers, listeria from Mexican-style cheese, and E. coli from romaine lettuce. Now, it would seem that Washington is finally getting serious about making sure the Food and Drug Administration has the power to promptly investigate and respond to foodborne outbreaks.
Last month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House introduced the “Food Traceability Enhancement Act.” The lobby representing food retailers has applauded the bill, claiming it “enhances food safety.”
There’s just one problem: The bill, according to experts, does the opposite. It would carve grocers, restaurants, and food warehouses out of a major portion of the FDA’s rules, which are meant to help regulators quickly track down the cause of a foodborne outbreak, and it would delay enforcement of the entire food safety program, slated to begin in 2026, by several years.
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