Appointed Director of Food Safety for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in October 1999, Alpert provides leadership for the Food Safety Initiative as well as providing oversight for all medical and clinical aspects of food safety across the broad range of FDA's food safety responsibilities. Alpert is optimistic about the opportunity the Food Safety Initiative creates for improving the safety of the food supply. Food safety has been an important issue for FDA from its beginning in 1906. The initiative is providing us with an opportunity to lift the floor because of focus, attention and resources.
Bacteria are smarter than people.
We will never totally eliminate them from the food supply. Where we can reasonably improve food safety by decreasing bacterial contamination we should. I expect to see accomplishments in the areas of technology, science, risk assessment and education. Alpert is placing a priority on working with the medical community. Health care providers today are focusing on preventive measures people can take to keep themselves healthy she explained.