The Food and Drug Administration takes an average of 57 days to remove contaminated food from the shelves, according to a report by federal investigators. Veuer’s Elizabeth Keatinge (@elizkeatinge) has more.
The Food and Drug Administration takes an average of 57 days to remove contaminated food from the shelves, according to a report by federal investigators. Veuer’s Elizabeth Keatinge (@elizkeatinge) has more.
Contaminated food is taking too long to be removed from store shelves, according to a report issued by the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The report says the Food and Drug Administration “did not always have an efficient and effective food-recall process that ensured the safety of the nation’s food supply.”
Federal investigators reviewed 30 of 1,557 food recalls between 2012 and 2015.
The investigation shows food companies took an average of 57 days to recall items after the FDA was informed of the potential danger.
George Nedder, an assistant regional inspector general at Health and Human Services, was the lead author of the report.
“Our review found that FDA does not have adequate policies and procedures to ensure that firms take prompt and effective action in initiating voluntary food recalls. This means that dangerous food products may have remained in our nation’s food supply for weeks after FDA was aware of the contamination.
“In one case, a baby died, and nine others became ill, all from consuming cheese that contained listeria — 81 days passed from when FDA learned of the adulterated product, to when the firm initiated the recall.”
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