FDA hit for slow progress on improving food safety

By Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials have not followed through on a promise made last year to make the food supply safer, lawmakers and others said on Thursday, as investigators probed the latest foodborne illness.

In the past week, a rare strain of Salmonella has sickened 167 people in 17 states who ate certain types of tomatoes.

It was the latest in a series of incidents that have eroded public confidence in food safety. Problems with lettuce, peanut butter and spinach in recent years also have prompted calls for change at the Food and Drug Administration.

"These continued outbreaks are unacceptable," said Rep. John Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "To have (the FDA) come up and say they don't know what to do about it or how much money they need or what resources they require is a shame and a disgrace."

The FDA, which oversees 80 percent of the food supply, last November issued a "food protection plan" that would focus on preventing problems in the riskiest areas, domestically and overseas, rather than conducting more inspections and testing.

Since then, FDA has been criticized for failing to outline a clear strategy and the cost of carrying it out.

The Government Accountability Office said in January the plan may falter unless FDA offers more details. FDA's Science Board, an advisory panel, has said the agency does not have the capacity to ensure the safety of the food supply.

"As foodborne illness outbreaks continue, FDA is missing valuable opportunities to reassure Congress and the public that it is doing all it can to protect the nation's food supply," Lisa Shames, a GAO director on food and agriculture, told a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

David Acheson, FDA's associate commissioner for food protection, said that within six to eight weeks, the agency would provide lawmakers with details on timelines and more specific goals for the next two years.

He said budget restrictions hindered him from giving long-term financial estimates of the resources needed, a situation lawmakers found unacceptable.

"We do believe that is within your statutory authority and furthermore we don't see how the FDA can implement a plan if it doesn't have cost estimates that go out over the life of the plan" said Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat.

Acheson responded: "I understand your frustration. Will you allow me to explore that and see what I can provide?"

Concern about food safety has prompted dozens of hearings and bills from lawmakers seeking tougher standards. FDA also has requested more funding. This week the Bush administration asked for an additional $125 million for food safety on top of the $42 million it was seeking for fiscal year 2009.

Michael Taylor, a professor at George Washington University, said the budget increase was "a downpayment" and echoed calls by the FDA Science Board to double the food safety budget to $1.4 billion by 2013 to institute effective reform.

For now, Taylor said FDA should "begin the shift from reaction to prevention and address some of today's pressing food safety problems." He urged FDA to identify the most urgent food safety problems and formulate strategies to improve them.

(Editing by David Gregorio)