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FDA Suggests Hand-Washing To Protect Food

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By CATHERINE LARKIN, Bloomberg News

Published: February 23, 2008

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published guidelines that suggest employees of fresh-cut fruit and vegetable processors wash their hands to help stop the spread of contamination.

The voluntary guidelines posted on the FDA Web site took effect Friday and include admonitions on hygiene and produce-tracking. The FDA said the advice, which the agency first proposed in March, "complements FDA's current good manufacturing practice requirements for foods."

Consumer groups, lawmakers and growers have urged the FDA to impose rules and intensify inspections of produce after three people died and at least 205 were sickened by spinach tainted with E. coli bacteria in 2006, sending sales of leafy greens down 30 percent. The FDA also has been criticized during the past year for its oversight of contaminated peanut butter, pet food and Chinese seafood imports.

"What is necessary to reform the food safety system are strong mandatory standards that will restore the American people's confidence in the foods they purchase," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said in an e-mail Friday. "Self-regulation and voluntary guidelines do not work and, in fact, contribute significantly to the problem."

DeLauro is chairwoman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that sets the FDA's funding. President Bush's proposed budget for the FDA in fiscal 2009 includes $662 million to protect the food supply, a 6.8 increase from the current fiscal year ending Sept. 30. The agency said more money would allow it to inspect more production sites.

Contaminated food and the responsibilities of producers are scheduled to be discussed Tuesday at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's oversight subcommittee in Washington.

"It seems every time the committee schedules a hearing on FDA activities, the agency scrambles to issue a long-overdue policy change," said Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in an e-mail Friday. "I look forward to discussing these new guidelines during Tuesday's food safety hearing."

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