Food Safety: Fundamental Changes Needed to Improve Monitoring of Unsafe
Chemicals in Food (Testimony, 09/28/94, GAO/T-RCED-94-311).

GAO identified five basic weaknesses in the overall federal structure
and systems for monitoring chemicals in food. First, fragmentation of
responsibility among multiple agencies results in inefficiencies and
gaps in federal monitoring activities. Second, chemicals posing similar
risks may be regulated differently under different laws. Third, federal
agencies rely on programs to detect unsafe chemicals in food rather than
preventing these problems from developing. Fourth, agencies lack strong
enforcement authorities to adequately deter or penalize violators.
Fifth, similar problems exist for imported foods, over which the United
States has even less control.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-94-311
     TITLE:  Food Safety: Fundamental Changes Needed to Improve 
             Monitoring of Unsafe Chemicals in Food
      DATE:  09/28/94
   SUBJECT:  Food supply
             Food inspection
             Safety regulation
             Interagency relations
             Consumer protection
             Agricultural products
             Contaminated foods
             Toxic substances
             Testing
             Import regulation
IDENTIFIER:  USDA National Residue Program
             FSIS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System
             
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