House Passes Senate Version of the Food Safety Bill, with Minor Technical Changes

12/09/2010

On December 8, 2010 the House passed the Senate version of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, with minor technical alterations, as a part of H.R. 3082. H.R. 3082 is a bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and to provide fiscal year 2011 appropriations for numerous federal agencies. H.R. 3082 is now expected to be sent to the Senate to be considered before the holiday break.

H.R. 3082 includes Senator Harkin’s amendment in the nature of a substitute of S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which the Senate passed on November 30, 2010, with technical changes. These technical changes address the procedural error in the Senate version involving an issue over the origin of revenue measures.

The bill was designed to take action to prevent unsafe foods from harming people before an outbreak occurs.   It provides for increased authority for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including allowing increased access to facility records in food emergencies, providing for more FDA inspections at domestic and foreign food facilities, and permitting the FDA to force a recall of food suspected of being tainted. It also increases import certification requirements and directs the FDA to establish a food trace back system to help officials determine the sources of food borne disease outbreaks. Facilities would also be required to create food safety plans.

For additional information concerning the Act, please continue to visit https://www.barnesrichardson.com or contact a Barnes/Richardson attorney.