Food safety is a serious concern, because most of the US population is dependent on processed & packaged food procured from stores spread all over the country. These stores in turn procure it from the food processing industry and store it in their deep freezers, which are available in all sizes meeting the specific need.

Any deficiency occurring in food procured or processed by these industries shall be having adverse effect on health of consumers, who unsuspectingly consume such substandard food.

Proposed Food Bill Aims to Identify & Address Deficiencies in System:

Observations from Recent Data from Centers for Disease:

The data reveals that one among six persons in the United States undergoes food-borne disease annually. During the last few years there has been out breaking of high profile diseases involving food products ranging from spinach, peanuts and eggs etc. These frequently occurring incidences involving large population of US has created an alarming situation requiring control over food processing and storage activities by enactment of a law giving authority to the related agencies to shoulder the responsibility in an effective manner.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA):

As a consequence to above foregoing scenario the above law gives authority to FDA for pursuing a fool proof scientific system, which controls and regulates the possible hazards in the journey of food from farm to table. The greater stress shall be in the preventive measures to contain food-borne diseases.

The involved basic are very simple and straight forward i.e. a better and effective system looking after handling of food production at the source level, careful processing, protection of food quality during transportation and further preparation of foods shall ensure safe food to the end user. As provided under FSMA the companies involved shall be devising their Food Safety Plan, which shall be written document and shall be implementing it with all the rigidity required.

The FDA shall be having full competence backed by authority for responding more stiffly in cases of food problems and where required recalling the defective food batches and handling its destruction. Not only that the lapse in the responsibility shall be looked into with award of hard penal actions to the defaulting agencies. FDA shall be able to better ensure in respect of imported foods to be safe for consumers complying with the laid down standards.

The FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., has commented the proposed bill, which President Barack Obama shall be signing into a law soon, sets the firm foundation for prevention oriented, 21st century food safety system, which shall be involving every one in the global food chain responsible for safety.

The law shall be helpful in taking critical measures to strengthen the Food Safety System, which shall be performing a vital role in respect of health and security of American Population. There shall be following significant provisions of the law necessary to bring transformation in the Food Safety System:

- Existence of a Scientifically produced Written Food safety Plan by every food processing unit, which shall be approved by FDA and implementing it strictly in carrying out food processing activities at the unit, with special reference to the preventive steps to be carried out at each stage of food processing.

- FDA is required to carry out establishment of scientific standards ensuring safety at production as well as harvesting of fruits and vegetables.

- These standards are required to consider safety in respect of both man-made risks to freshly produced food besides natural causes creating hazards i.e. resulting by the soil, animals, and water in the growing area.

- FDA shall be responsible for increased inspection drive to ensure every thing is happening in order at the high risk domestic facilities. Concentrated efforts are required during first five year period besides to looking after around 600 foreign food facilities sources.