U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson is tired of reading about Americans getting salmonella poisoning from eating peanut butter, and wants to take matters into his own hands. Peterson (D-Minn.), the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, which has oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wants the USDA to assume some responsibilities that the Food and Drug Administration currently oversees.
Peterson believes the solution to the recent string of salmonella poisonings, which stemmed from tainted peanut butter linked to a Georgia peanut plant, is to take the food processing inspections away from the FDA and give them to the USDA. This isn't the first time Peterson has proposed the idea to Congress, and he said he will try again to introduce the idea in upcoming committee hearings.
Today the USDA is in charge of inspecting meat, poultry and egg product establishments throughout the country. USDA inspectors examine for proper packaging and distribution of those products so as not to cause foodborne illnesses such as salmonellosis, the illness caused by the salmonella bacteria.
The FDA, on the other hand, oversees the processing of produce, nuts, milk, seafood and other foodstuffs (the “F” side of FDA), in addition to its oversight of drugs, cosmetics, toys, and medical devices (the “D” side).
“We have jurisdiction over meat and catfish,” Peterson told a Minnesota newspaper, in the best quote to come out of the 111th Congress so far.
“FDA has jurisdiction over everything else,” Peterson added. “We’re not perfect, but our track record is a helluva lot better at USDA than it is at FDA.” Those sound like fightin' words; can we expect a USDA-FDA inspect-off?
Both the FDA and USDA have in fact presided over their share of food recalls and sickness outbreaks. The USDA lists food recalls on their website a few times each month due to tainted beef, chicken, and pork products containing a number of bacteria aside form salmonella. In 2008, there were salmonella outbreaks due to a consumption of raw jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, and tomatoes grown in Mexico, and dry cereal and cantaloupe from Honduras. Throughout 2007, outbreaks occurred from the consumption of potpies, peanut butter, Veggie Booty, and dry dog food. All these outbreaks came in areas under the watchful gaze of the FDA.
Peterson cited differences in inspection techniques as the reasons why USDA would be better qualified than FDA to manage all food inspections. “We have people in the line,” he said. “At a slaughter plant, we have somebody there when they’re killing the animal. We have somebody there who is on the line when the stuff’s going through.” Stuff? As in what we had for dinner?
The USDA process includes a phased approach where inspectors evaluate hazards at various points in the food production line.
“Those inspectors, in addition to being on the line, test that to make sure that the critical control points are doing their job, or finding things at a point where you can catch it before it goes into the system,” Peterson said.
As far as FDA procedures are concerned, Peterson said, “Their idea is to go out and … license a plant, give them a bunch of rules that they have to follow. Then, instead of having somebody there, they come in and test once in a while.” He likened the FDA approach to that of the SEC's on Wall Street — a sharp cut in light of the recent financial scandals that took place under the nose of regulators.
While both the FDA and USDA are responsible for all of domestic food safety oversight, Kevin Paap, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, noted that both agencies could only go so far with protecting their food products from bacteria-causing diseases. It is then the responsibility of everyone who handles the food after that — from facilities to grocery stores to restaurants — to make sure the food is safe to consume. “We all have to work together to do everything we can to make sure our food supply stays safe,” he said.
Or, in other words, wash your hands.
VS. 
A food inspection throw-down
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