FDA too slow in recalling foods, a government watchdog reports

The Department of Health and Human Services' Office report shows that the FDA is not fast enough in recalling tainted foods leaving consumer susceptible to continued illnesses.

A government watchdog review of The Food and Drug Administration indicates that it’s too sluggish in recalling corrupted foods. On Wednesday, The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General evaluated 30 recalls between 2012 and 2015. Companies in two of these reviews did not recall all tainted items until 165 days and 81 days following the FDA’s recognition, according to a Reuter’s report.

“FDA does not have adequate policies and procedures to ensure that firms take prompt and effective action in initiating voluntary food recalls,” the report stated. “As a result, consumers remained at risk of illness or death for several weeks after FDA was aware of a potentially hazardous food in the supply chain.”

The Department of Health and Human Services advised the FDA to fix the delay immediately. Stephen Ostroff and Howard Sklamberg, FDA food safety officials, issued a statement in a blog post saying that the survey’s results were “unacceptable,” but that the agency is “totally committed” to improving food safety.

A member of the House of Representatives subcommittee that is tasked to review the FDA voiced similar opinions. Representative Rosa DeLauro observed a salmonella outbreak in cucumbers last July in which 900 consumers were hospitalized and six died. The outbreak spread through September before a product recall.

“Delays like this one – and others found in the report – are completely unacceptable and leave American consumers at risk for illness and death,” DeLauro said.

Ostroff and Sklamberg said the FDA has devised a framework to reinforce compliance and enforcement policies, including both voluntary and mandatory recalls. But scientific evidence of a potential outbreak needs to be gathered before an official recall can be issued they noted. Cut-off points for recalls are set but “they must be done on an individual basis rather than by setting arbitrary deadlines.”

To improve the FDA’s response times, the FDA has sourced a team of scientists from multiple scientific disciplines to review the prospect of an outbreak Ostroff and Sklamberg indicated. They also point to the FDA’s use of whole genome sequencing to observe the genetic structures of pathogens since 2014.

Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 requires companies to reduce food safety hazards and have contingencies in the event of a food recall.