— OPINION — By Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports, and Frank Yiannas, Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy & Response, FDA Both of us have dedicated our careers to advancing food safety and protecting the public. Collectively, we’ve done so at the height of federal service, in consumer advocacy, and within the private sector. That’s why we believe we’re well qualified to provide a perspective on the need for better traceability capabilities throughout the entire food system.
Once a foodborne outbreak is detected, one of the most important details needed is identifying the food item causing the illnesses and removing it from the marketplace to prevent additional illnesses. It’s critical to ensure that this is accomplished with speed, accuracy, and specificity. However, recent legislative proposals would undermine the current data record keeping requirements in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) FInal Food Traceability Rule.
We felt inclined to write this column because if these proposed changes are enacted, it would harm the FDA’s ability to identify sources of outbreaks, and protect consumers when unsafe food enters the marketplace. Historical context As a reminder, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in a bipartisan manner and President Obama signed into law in 2011. As part of FSMA, Congress specifically directed the FDA to develop a Food Traceability Rule, referred to as Section 204, that requires produ.