Would it surprise you to know this:

"Generally, neither the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has explicit statutory authority to order a recall of adulterated foods, to require a company to notify them when it has distributed such foods, or to impose penalties if recall requirements are violated."

This is just one of the issues that lawmakers expect to addrees in a slew of proposals to tighten federal food safety laws. Considering the worldwide concen over Chinese food impots, the legislative push is easy to understand. But proecting our food supply is not just about being able to find out whatcountry our food comes from.

This fall, the United States Senate will debate the 2007 Farm Bill, passed by the House of Representatives on July 27. Its provisions include a requirement that imported fruits and vegetables be labeled by country of origin. While the press announcing the House passage praised the bill's "historic investments,"

But Natasha at Pacific Views sees danger ahead if one section of the bill in particular becomes law:

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Now, at a time when state food safety laws are increasingly important, the House Agriculture Committee is considering a 2007 Farm Bill that would prohibit state and local officials from addressing many of the food safety threats they currently regulate against. Section 123, Title I, of the bill is a sweeping provision that would:

" * Usurp powers traditionally exercised by states and localities to protect public health, summarily wiping out important food safety and farmer protections in place in states and municipalities across the nation.

" * And as currently worded, it could make it impossible for a local restaurant inspector or public health official to remove rodent-contaminated or spoiled meat and poultry products from the market.

"* Negate state and local laws designed to protect the economic interests of farmers and the health of consumers in relation to genetically engineered crops. Currently, states have laws regulating GE foods and more are being discussed in state legislatures. "

Shannon 's pointer about the Ohio State Agriculture Director's August 31 potato-salad recall underscores the importance of local vigilance on these matters.

Last week, when I wrote about my research on the 1990 Imperial Foods plant fire, I mentioned that former workers at the pllant said they had been forced to pack and ship spoilled chicken. The company made chicken nuggets for restaurants and stores throughout the South. My students and I were led to fiind out where our chicken came from in New Jersey, and whether it was safe. We were able to search federal and state Agiculture Department and local public health records to find out that in 2002, the wholesaler who shipped chicken to most ot the restaurants in our area had been cited for contaminants found in its shipping crates. We also learned that our local restaurants weren't carry on regular inspections required by law.

We also learned that there had been a trend, going back to the 70s, allowing the food industry to police itself, to a large degree. A 2002 PBS documentary explored the regulatory method, known as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System, in nervous-making detail. Whatever misgiivings one might have about the policy, Rudi Ryante notes that the system has become an international stardard.

If you want to find out about food safety issues in your area, the Food Safety and Inspection Service has a current lsit.