New federal food safety rules issued after deadly outbreaks

Once the rules go into effect, companies will have to prepare detailed plans that lay out how they handle the food, how they process it, how they clean their facilities and how they keep food at the right temperatures, among other safety measures.

The idea is to put more focus on prevention in a system that for decades has been primarily reactive to outbreaks after they sicken or even kill people. The majority of farmers and food manufacturers already follow good food safety practices, and the law would aim to ensure that all do.

Michael Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, said the rules will “create a level playing field.” He added, “The food safety problems we face have one thing in common — they are largely preventable.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 48 million people get sick annually from foodborne diseases.

An estimated 3,000 people die.

FDA investigators have often found dirty equipment in food processing facilities after deadly outbreaks. Agency reports issued after the outbreaks linked to ice cream, caramel apple and peanuts, among others, detailed processing facilities that were badly designed for cleaning or not maintained in sanitary conditions.

A 2011 listeria outbreak linked to Colorado cantaloupe killed 30 people. The FDA said old, hard to clean equipment and improper cooling were partly to blame. The outbreak of salmonella linked to a Georgia peanut company in 2009 killed nine and sickened more than 700 people in 43 states.

The most controversial rules are regulations due in October that would set new standards for farmers growing produce. The rules would require farmers to take new precautions against contamination, making sure workers’ hands are washed, irrigation water is clean and that animals stay out of fields, among other things. Some in the industry and in Congress say the standards will be burdensome for business.

Congress first passed the rules in 2010, and it took the FDA two years to write the specific requirements. The agency revised that proposal after some opposition to the first version from farmers and the food industry.

Mindful of the high cost of outbreaks and recalls, food companies generally have supported the rules.

The rule “ensures that prevention is the cornerstone of our nation’s food safety strategy, places new responsibilities on food and beverage manufacturers, and provides the FDA with the authorities it needs to further strengthen our nation’s food safety net,” said Pamela Bailey, CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents the largest food companies.