U.S. Food and Drug Administration - April 2000 Progress and Perspective Food Safety Initiative FY '99 Annual Report

Making Progress Towards a Safer Food Supply

(Table of Contents)

by Jane E. Henney, M.D., Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration

The protection of the nation's food supply has long been an important part of FDA's public health mission. As we enter the 21^st century, the challenges facing the food safety system are constantly changing. We are eating a greater variety of foods throughout the year from all over the country and around the world. We are eating more and more foods prepared outside our own homes. Nearly a quarter of our population is considered "at-risk" for developing foodborne illness. And we are aware of more than five times the number of foodborne pathogens in 1999 than we were fifty years ago.

The most critical element of our nation's food safety system is a strong science base to underpin decision-making, from research and risk assessment, to surveillance, inspection, training, and education.

While the American food supply is among the safest in the world, we can always do more. This report, "Progress and Perspective," provides a snapshot of how FDA is meeting this challenge to ensure a safer food supply. The report explains not only what is being done, but also—most importantly—how this effort is helping to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness.

In FY 99 there were significant accomplishments in all areas of food safety. A strong scientific base drives all of these programs. For example, we have created the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System to detect emerging drug resistance among foodborne pathogens. At the Illinois-based National Center for Food Safety and Technology, cutting-edge research is leading to food safety improvements. The internationally_recognized Seafood HACCP program has established a comprehensive, science-based program that is being adopted by more seafood processors every year. Experts from FDA provided training on good agricultural practices for international producers of fruit and vegetables. And, to better protect American consumers when problems do arise, FDA and the U.S Customs Service have developed a comprehensive plan to keep unsafe imported food from American consumers. Indeed, many of these activities require effective collaboration between and among many Federal, state, and local government counterparts.

This progress could not have taken place without the hard work and dedication of the entire FDA staff involved in the Food Safety Initiative, and the excellent leadership provided Joseph A. Levitt, Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN); Dennis E. Baker; Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs; Steven F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM); and Daniel A. Casciano, Ph.D., Acting Director, National Center for Toxicological Research. I also welcome Susan Alpert, Ph.D., M.D., to the position of Director of Food Safety for CFSAN Dr. Alpert brings a unique background in pediatrics, infectious diseases and microbiology to this critical job.

As President Clinton said during his radio address Dec. 11, 1999, "Food safety is part of our citizens' basic contract with the government." It is a contract FDA does not intend to break.