Obama Says Tougher Rules Needed To Make Food Safer

In order to reduce instances of salmonella and E. coli contamination, a food safety working group, established by President Obama, will impose stricter rules for the production of eggs, poultry, beef, leafy greens, melons and tomatoes, the
Associated Press reports.

The group, headed by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, is also directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help the food industry establish better tracing systems in the event of an outbreak, so the origins of a disease can be quickly found, and is creating a new network so the many agencies that regulate food safety can better communicate.

Under The New Rules:

• Egg and poultry producers will have to follow new standards designed to reduce salmonella contamination, including increased testing and refrigeration for eggs.

• The Food Safety Inspection Service, the Agriculture Department agency that inspects meat, will increase sampling of ground beef ingredients in an effort to better find E. coli contamination.

• The FDA will recommend ways that producers of leafy greens, melons and tomatoes can reduce disease strains, and require stricter standards in those industries within two years.

• The FDA and the Agriculture Department will create new positions to better oversee food safety.