Government Accountability Office takes FDA to task over lagging plant inspections, recommends action plan
The slow pace of the FDA's food safety inspections is putting consumers at risk, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The report found that the FDA has not kept up with its goal of inspecting all high-risk food facilities every three years.
In fiscal year 2021, the FDA inspected only 60% of high-risk facilities, down from 70% in fiscal year 2019. The GAO also found that the FDA's inspection process is inefficient and outdated.
The report recommends that the FDA take several steps to improve its inspection program, including:
- Increasing the frequency of inspections at high-risk facilities
- Streamlining the inspection process
- Investing in new technology
The GAO's report comes at a time when the FDA is facing increasing scrutiny over its food safety record. In recent years, there have been several high-profile foodborne illness outbreaks, including outbreaks of E. coli, salmonella, and Listeria.
The FDA has taken some steps to address these concerns, such as increasing the number of food safety inspectors and investing in new technology. However, the GAO's report suggests that more needs to be done to improve the FDA's inspection program.
