The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in need of an overhaul and cannot properly protect Americans from foodborne illness, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Findings from the report show that FDA must switch its approach from being reactive to risk-based in order to identify and prevent foodborne illness. The report recommends giving FDA the authority to issue mandatory recalls of food products, improving the food safety inspection system and forming a single food safety agency.
The FDA currently oversees about 80% of the US food supply and sponsored the IOM report, which was requested by the US Congress.
