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July 23, 2003
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HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced $5 million in funding to support a new research program to develop technologies and strategies to prevent and minimize potential threats to the safety and security of the Nation's food supply. The announcement came as FDA issued a new report highlighting the Department's progress toward enhancing the Nation's food security, including a more-than-five-fold increase in the number of imported food examinations.
The new report, submitted by FDA Commissioner Mark D. McClellan to Secretary Thompson, highlights the Department's progress in making the food supply safer and more secure, in 10 critical focus areas. For example, for fiscal year 2003, FDA has quintupled the number of imported food examinations it conducted in fiscal year 2001, reaching 62,000 inspections so far this year, compared with 12,000 in all of fiscal year 2001. The increase exceeds the Agency's goal. The increased coverage reflects a steep increase (from 40 to 90) in the number of ports of entry with FDA staffing; FDA's intensive efforts during a period of heightened security alert earlier this year (Operation Liberty Shield); and enhanced collaboration with other government agencies to protect the food supply more efficiently.
This progress stems in large measure from the $96 million increase in the Agency's food-security budget achieved by Secretary Thompson in fiscal years 2002 and 2003. Those additional resources enabled FDA to hire 655 new field personnel that work almost exclusively on food security and food safety. [Of these 655 new field personnel, 300 are specifically involved in investigations at U.S. ports of entry.] President Bush's fiscal year 2004 budget requests another $116.3 million to further protect the Nation's food supply.
The $5 million in new research funding is being made available from the post-9/11 Emergency Response Fund. The White House Office of Management and Budget is allocating these funds to the FDA, which will use them for food security research, including efforts to develop new prevention and mitigation technologies and to improve the ability to assess foods for contamination with chemical, biological, and radiological agents.
The research program, expanded food inspections, and border resources are part of Secretary Thompson's comprehensive approach to enhancing food security. FDA's progress report highlighting efforts in 10 critical focus areas reflects a five-pronged strategy to ensure the safety and security of the roughly 80 percent of the Nation's food supply under its jurisdiction.
The strategy involves (1) Developing increased awareness among federal, state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information and knowledge to reduce vulnerabilities; (2) developing capacity for rapid identification of a specific threat or attack on the food supply if one occurs; (3) developing effective protection strategies to "shield" the food supply from terrorist threats; (4) developing capacity for rapid, coordinated response to a foodborne terrorist attack, including "surge capacity" and the ability to contain the attack quickly; and (5) developing capacity for rapid, coordinated recovery from a foodborne terrorist attack.
The full progress report is available at http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/foodsecurity/.
On July 17, 2003, FDA announced the availability of a guidance for industry entitled “Necessity of the Use of Food Product Categories in Registration of Food Facilities.'' FDA has developed this guidance in response to section 305(a) of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the Bioterrorism Act), which states that FDA may require registrants to submit the general food categories of food manufactured, processed, packed, or held at the facility, if FDA determines “through guidance'' that such information is necessary. This guidance contains FDA's finding that information about food categories is necessary for a quick, accurate, and focused response to an actual or potential bioterrorist incident or other food-related emergency. The complete Federal Register notice announcing the guidance can be accessed at http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/071703d.htm.
The guidance is available on the Internet at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/guidance.html. To obtain a single copy of the guidance, submit written requests to the Office of Regulations and Policy (HFS-24), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740. Send one self-addressed adhesive label to assist that office in processing your request or include a fax number to which the guidance may be sent.
This guidance is final upon the date of publication. However, written or electronic comments may be submitted at any time. Submit written comments on the guidance to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Submit electronic comments on the guidance to http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments. Comments must be identified with the docket number 03D-0195. The guidance and received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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Food Safety Initiative Staff E-mail: cwise@cfsan.fda.gov |
Office Number: (301) 436-2125 · FAX (301) 436-2605 CFSAN Web site: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/ |
