New FDA Power to Protect Consumers From Contaminated Food

Food-related illnesses cause a great deal of suffering every year affecting an estimated one in four Americans. Thousands die annually from salmonella, E-coli and other bacterial contamination of food. Eggs, peanuts and spinach have been involved in widespread recalls.
Now, the Senate has passed as sweeping food safety bill providing the biggest change in food laws since the 1930s. The new legislation requires greater responsibility from manufacturers and farmers to head off contamination problems before food gets to consumers. Imported products will also be regulated more aggressively. If there are problems, the FDA will have authority under the new law to actually issue recalls.
Until now, all the agency could do was urge the manufacturer to act responsibly. Hopefully, the new bill will reduce the toll of food-borne disease that has become such a problem in recent years.