This overview does not provide a detailed description of the system, but it does illustrate where current responsibilities and allocations of resources exist and how the system currently functions.Īt least a dozen federal agencies implementing more than 35 statutes make up the federal part of the food safety system. This chapter describes the main features of the current food safety system, including regulation, surveillance, research and development, consumer education, and international dimensions. In fact, surveillance and reporting systems are insufficient in scope, resources, and statutory authority to generate reliable current measures of foodborne illness, much less to establish trends. The committee heard testimony from diverse groups asserting that the US food supply is among the safest in the world ( Appendix D), yet found little evidence to either support or contradict this assertion. As a consequence, the government's role is also complex, fragmented, and in many ways uncoordinated. The food safety system in this country is complex and multilevel. Great responsibility lies with consumers who must be cognizant of the level of safety associated with the foods they purchase and who must handle these foods accordingly.
Supporting roles are played by trade and consumer organizations that inform policy and by professional organizations and academic institutions that engage in research and education. The government plays an important role by establishing standards and overseeing their enforcement. Our "food safety system" includes producers, processors, shippers, retailers, food preparers, and, ultimately, consumers.
Every organization and every person involved with the food chain from farm and sea to table shares responsibility for the safety of food.