DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

Office of Public Affairs

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, MD 20857

Publication No. FS 02-11

(FDA Web site: www.fda.gov)

February 2002

Fighting Foodborne Illness:

How FDA Helps Keep the Food Supply Safe

The Food and Drug Administration ensures the safety and

wholesomeness of almost 80 percent

of the United States food supply—

all foods except meat, poultry and

some egg products, which are

regulated by the U.S. Department of

Agriculture. The FDA does the job

so well that American food is as safe

as any in the world, but changing

tastes and other developments keep

presenting the agency with new

challenges.

For example, Americans today eat

a greater variety of imported foods

than ever, and they are relying more

and more on commercially prepared

food products. The growing

numbers of senior Americans have

increased the proportion of the U.S.

population considered at risk for

developing foodborne illness to 25

percent. Scientists have identified

more than five times as many

foodborne pathogens than were

known 50 years ago; in addition, the

FDA has recently confronted such

potentially serious food safety

hazards as transmissible spongiform

encephalopathies (TSEs), chemical

contaminants, pesticides, and food

allergens.

Thanks to increased funding in

recent years, the FDA and other

federal, state and local authorities

have greatly strengthened the safety

of the U.S. food supply. With this

For example, the FDA recently

developed an educational campaign,

“To Your Health! Food Safety for

Seniors,” which is tailored to the

unique information needs of the

growing U.S. elderly population.

Responding to the increased

American consumption of imported

food, the agency has conducted

training seminars to familiarize

regulatory officials abroad with

FDA’s “good agricultural practices,”

identification of food contaminants,

and other food safety topics they

need to know to make sure that

foods exported from their countries

to the United States meet the U.S.

safety standards.

Since prevention is the cornerstone

of the agency’s strategy for the

reduction of foodborne illness, the

FDA’s scientists are involved in

cutting-edge research projects

focused on the development of a

sound scientific basis for the

agency’s public health decisions. All

these activities have made the FDA’s

program for pathogen reduction

substantially stronger than it was as

recently as three or four years ago.

For more information, call the

FDA’s Food Information line, 1-888-

SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366) or

visit the FDA’s Web site at

www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fs-toc.html.

food safety initiative, the FDA has:

• launched new programs to

improve the safety of seafood, fresh

fruits and vegetables, sprouts, juice

and eggs;

• focused its field inspection

program on products at “high risk”

for microbiological contamination;

• developed new methods of

monitoring the mushrooming food

imports; and

• made its research, risk assessment

and education activities responsive to

today’s food safety needs.

Protecting Food Against Terrorism

The terrorist attacks on September 11,

2001 made the protection of the

national food supply against willful

contamination a top priority for the

FDA. To fulfill this vital task, the

agency has carried out or initiated the

following actions:

• It has cooperated with the industry to

publish guidance for food processors

and importers on how to minimize the

risk of food tampering and terrorism.

• It is hiring 600 additional import

investigators, laboratory analysts and

other personnel, who will use the latest

technology and scientific equipment to

help ensure the safety of imported and

domestic foods.

• It is seeking new legislative authority

that will provide new tools to prevent

the distribution of food that may be

hazardous.