Japan could learn from US food safety problems

Main Category: CJD / vCJD / Mad Cow Disease
Article Date: 10 Jun 2004 - 12:00 PDT

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The discovery in late December of the first U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, has sparked discussions on the integration of U.S. departments and agencies in charge of food safety.

The U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on realignment and rationalization of government departments and agencies said the U.S. food safety regulatory regime was a patchwork system, indicating the complexity of the current state of food safety control departments and agencies.

Few people understand how the 12 U.S. departments and agencies, including the Agriculture Department (DOA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), go about implementing regulations on food safety.

The latest U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) report proposes an integration of the related departments and bureaus or the establishment of an independent organization because in addition to simplifying and rationalizing administrative procedures, an independent organization can respond to emergencies quickly when an infectious disease breaks out or terrorists strike.

The poor handling of the first U.S. case of mad cow disease was one factor prompting discussions on a drastic review of the food safety control system in the United States.

Immediately after the discovery, the DOA, which tried to track down infected cows, and the FDA, which inspected fodder and processed foods made from cattle, separately inspected the farm where the BSE case was found.

The U.S. Congress criticized the dual inspections as administrative sectionalism.

Midway through the inspection, the DOA called off the follow-up check of infected cows and cows imported from the same overseas farm.

Sources close to the livestock industry said the check was canceled due to difficulties in coordinating inspections by the DOA and other related organizations because their authorities were not unified.

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