United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-09-26 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:RCED-94-192 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-192 P0b002ee18038d86c f:rc94192 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-192 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-192 RCED-94-192 Food inspection Food and drug law Contaminated foods Product safety Health hazards Consumer protection Import regulation Food supply Agricultural products Toxic substances USDA Coordinated Pesticide Data Program USDA National Residue Program HNIS Nationwide Food Consumption Survey USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals Dept. of Commerce Seafood Contamination Risk Information System FSIS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System Other Written Product RCED B85076 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. GAO summarized this report and GAO/RCED-94-158 in testimony before Congress; see: Food Safety: Fundamental Changes Needed to Improve Monitoring of Unsafe Chemicals in Food, by John W. Harman, Director of Food and Agriculture Issues, before the Subcommittee on Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations, House Committee on Government Operations. GAO/T-RCED-94-311, Sept. 28, 1994 (seven pages). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-192/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-192.htm GAO/RCED-94-192 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-192 Other Written Product GAO/RCED-94-192; Food Safety: Changes Needed to Minimize Unsafe Chemicals in Food; Food inspection Food and drug law Contaminated foods Product safety Health hazards Consumer protection Import regulation Food supply Agricultural products Toxic substances USDA Coordinated Pesticide Data Program USDA National Residue Program HNIS Nationwide Food Consumption Survey USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals Dept. of Commerce Seafood Contamination Risk Information System FSIS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System