Congress Passes Food Safety Act

This week Congress passed the Food Safety and Modernization Act, representing the first major overhaul of the U.S. food safety system in over 70 years. In addition to various safety considerations, the bill also directs the FDA to “…promulgate regulations to protect against the intentional adulteration of food….” (emphasis added). These regulations will, among other things, “…specify appropriate science-based mitigation strategies or measures to prepare and protect the food supply chain at specific vulnerable points….” The bill will not likely be signed into law until President Obama returns in early January 2011.