WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumer Reports praised the approval today of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s reorganization of its human foods program so that it can more effectively protect public health from foodborne illness outbreaks and other food safety risks. The implementation of the plan is set to begin on October 1.
“Consumers depend on the FDA to be effectively organized and governed to ensure our food is safe,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports. “Today’s announcement is a major step forward and much credit goes to Commissioner Califf for facilitating the process to get to this point.
Ronholm continued, “We recognize that a significant amount of work remains to be done because a meaningful change in culture does not happen overnight. We look forward to working with the FDA to ensure this plan is effectively implemented so that it can carry out its critical mission to protect the public from food safety risks.”
In 2022, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf ordered an external review of the agency’s office of food safety following widespread criticism of its handling of the infant formula crisis. Later that year, the Reagan Udall Foundation issued a report that concluded that the FDA’s culture, organizational structure, and governance model have undermined its effectiveness. The report validated many of the concerns about the FDA raised by Consumer Reports and a diverse coalition of consumer groups, industry leaders, and state and local regulators.
Michael McCauley, michael.mccauley@consumer.org