Looks like our nation’s food safety system could get a much needed makeover.

The Obama Administration recently announced a plan to beef up federal efforts in reducing Salmonella and E. Coli contamination in our food supply.   In March, President Obama created a Food Safety Working Group to discuss ways of addressing foodborne outbreaks, focusing on proactive approaches to prevent the spread of disease.

The Food Safety Working Group provided recommendations in three specific areas of our food safety system that are in need of some attention.

First, the working group recommended focusing on preventing the spread of Salmonella contamination, specifically in eggs and poultry.  According to the CDC, eggs are one of the leading causes of Salmonella outbreaks each year.  But for years the government was unable to finalize any rules on egg safety.  We have one now.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule to control the contamination of eggs during production and transportation.  Egg producers are required to implement and comply with Salmonella prevention standards which include refrigeration requirements, pest and rodent control programs, facility sanitation requirements and recordkeeping requirements including documentation that the facility has complied with Salmonella prevention measures.   Additionally, the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) is in the process of developing new standards to reduce Salmonella in turkey and poultry, and hopes to have 90% of poultry establishments in compliance by the end of 2010.

Second, the working group discussed the importance of a national traceback and response system to help identify the source of an outbreak quickly and efficiently.  This includes developing a method to locate the origins of food outbreaks, creating a command center linking federal agencies with state and local governments to effectively communicate with one another during an outbreak, and working with state and local agencies to update their emergency and investigation procedures in the event of an outbreak.

Finally, the working group suggested ways to improve the organization of federal food safety responsibilities by creating a new position - the Deputy Commissioner of Foods.  This role will oversee the FDA’s food safety efforts and work with other entities, including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to develop a stronger food safety system.  Establishing this position creates responsibility and accountability in overseeing our food safety system as well as providing consumers with a clear authority figure to effectively enforce food safety regulations.

Many consumer, manufacturer and public health organizations are on board with this overhaul.  Consumer advocacy groups, like the Grocery Manufacturers of America and Consumer’s Union, agree that these recommendations are large steps to prioritizing the prevention of contamination in our food supply.

While these recommendations are short-term steps to finding a long-term solution, they are still steps in the right direction.  By making outbreak prevention a priority, we can improve the safety of food around the globe.  But implementing these new standards will require the time, effort and manpower of many individuals, including additional food supply veterinarians to inspect our food and enforce the standards.

And there is already a critically short supply.

Check out the video below to see what organizations, like the American Veterinary Medical Association, have to say on the role veterinarians will have in the Obama Administration’s new and improved food safety system.