Changes in Food Safety Laws Eyed in Senate Hearings

Abstract

The old debate over food safety raised its hoary head this summer as the Senate moved for the first time in years to consider changes in the laws that ensure a safe and nutritious food supply. Holding three days of special hearings this month, the Senate Labor & Human Resources Committee listened to all sides of the issue: regulators, scientists, industry groups, and consumer advocates. No bill has been introduced yet in this Congress to amend the food laws. A Senate bill introduced in the previous Congress failed to move very far as Senators occupied themselves with more pressing issues. But the basic Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act hasn't been updated since 1958 and there appears to be a growing feeling that some changes are needed. There was no argument from the nearly 30 witnesses at the recent hearings that Americans have the most abundant, most diverse, and safest food ...