U.S. Food Safety Policy and the U.S. Food Safety System Craig Harris Comparative Food Safety Systems Workshop 18 March 2005
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood systemParallel to agrifood system
research surveillance policy regulation enforcement
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levelsInvolves several levels
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –USDHHS/PHS/FDA –USDHHS/PHS/CDCP –USDA/FSIS –USDA/APHIS –USDHS
U. S. National Academies of Science Press 1998
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –USDHHS/PHS/FDA –USDHHS/PHS/CDCP –USDA/FSIS –USDA/APHIS –USDHS How many food safety agencies should a nation-state have?
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –USDHHS/PHS/FDA –USDHHS/PHS/CDCP –USDA/FSIS –USDA/APHIS –USDHS Publish the Food Code
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –USDHHS/PHS/FDA –USDHHS/PHS/CDCP –USDA/FSIS Publish the Food Code Guided by Conference for Food ProtectionGuided by Conference for Food Protection
Conference for Food Protection non-profit organization, originated in 1971, by USDHHS/FDA and APHA partnership among regulators, industry, academia, professional organizations and consumers identify problems, formulate recommendations, and develop and implement practices that ensure food safety meet at least biennially to provide a forum for working together to enhance the quality of the food supply
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –Publish the Food Code –Guided by Conference for Food Protection Regulate food safety for meat and eggs (USDA/FSIS) and fish (DHHS/PHS/FDA) in interstate commerceRegulate food safety for meat and eggs (USDA/FSIS) and fish (DHHS/PHS/FDA) in interstate commerce
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –Publish the Food Code –Guided by Conference for Food Protection Regulate food safety for meat and eggs (USDA/FSIS) and fish (DHHS/PHS/FDA) in interstate commerce but... food safety is not one of the constitutionally granted powers of the federal governmentbut... food safety is not one of the constitutionally granted powers of the federal government
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –Publish the Food Code –Guided by Conference for Food Protection Regulate food safety for meat and eggs (USDA/FSIS) and fish (DHHS/PHS/FDA) in interstate commerce Deal directly with Association of Food and Drug OfficialsDeal directly with Association of Food and Drug Officials
Association of Food and Drug Officials The Vision – AFDO is an international leader and trusted resource for building consensus and promoting uniformity on public health and consumer protection issues related to the regulation of foods... The Mission - AFDO, established in 1896, successfully fosters uniformity in the adoption and enforcement of food... safety laws, rules, and regulations. AFDO and its six Regional Affiliates provide the mechanism and the forum where regional, national, and international issues are delibera- ted and resolved uniformly to provide the best public health and consumer protection in the most expeditious and cost effective manner.
Food Safety Policy System Federal level –Publish the Food Code –Guided by Conference for Food Protection Regulate food safety for meat and eggs (USDA/FSIS) and fish and anything else (DHHS/PHS/FDA) in interstate commerce Deal directly with Association of Food and Drug Officials Regulate food safety for food processing in states, tribal lands, and territoriesRegulate food safety for food processing in states, tribal lands, and territories
Food Safety Policy System Federal level Regulate food safety for meat and eggs (USDA/FSIS) and fish and anything else (DHHS/PHS/FDA) in interstate commerce Deal directly with Association of Food and Drug Officials Regulate food safety for food processing in states, tribal lands, and territories Delegate responsibility for food safety in food service institutions to local levelDelegate responsibility for food safety in food service institutions to local level
Food Safety Policy System Federal level State, tribal and territorial level Local level What is the relationship between the causal structure of foodborne illness, and the regulatory structure of food safety policy?
research surveillance policy regulation enforcement
Food Safety Policy System Federal level State, tribal and territorial level Local level What is the relationship between the causal structure of foodborne illness, and the regulatory structure of food safety policy? What is the relationship between national policy and local enforcement?
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policyIncreasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy –World Health Organization
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy –World Health Organization –Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy –World Health Organization –Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations –Codex Alimentarius Commission
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy –World Health Organization –Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations –Codex Alimentarius Commission –World Trade Organization
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy –World Health Organization –Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations –Codex Alimentarius Commission –World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards AgrmtSanitary and Phytosanitary Standards Agrmt
WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Science based Least trade restricting Non-discriminatory Equivalence International harmonization Risk assessment Transparency
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy With 50% of U.S. food imported, what is relevance of national food safety policy structure?
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy Increasing private sector actionIncreasing private sector action
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy Increasing private sector action –Setting food safety standards
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy Increasing private sector action –Setting food safety standards –Third party certification
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy Increasing private sector action To what extent does the food safety system operate to produce food safety? For whom?
Food Safety Policy System Parallel to agrifood system Involves several levels Increasing international trade in all kinds of foods implicates international agencies in food safety policy Increasing private sector action To what extent does the food safety system operate to produce food safety? For whom? How does the food safety system operate to produce food safety?