Food and Drug Administration

Consumer groups asks FDA to exercise its full authority to ensure accurate food safety testing

CFA and four other consumer groups submitted the following comments on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s proposed rule on Laboratory Accreditation for Analysis of Foods. The Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law in 2011, gave FDA new authority to set standards for laboratories that test food products for pathogens and other contaminants, but until this proposed rule, FDA had not exercised this authority. The letter welcomes the step forward in improving food safety controls, but points out that FDA has very narrowly construed its authority in the proposed rule. To better protect consumers, the groups urge FDA to require laboratory accreditation for any testing undertaken to comply with regulatory requirements.