Over 200 of the food industry's leading scientists gathered in Arlington, Virginia to discuss current food safety practices and discuss ways to prevent future food-related health outbreaks in the US.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Science Forum saw the introduction of the group's food safety proposal which includes provisions such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requiring every manufacturer to have a food safety plan identifying the risks of contamination, and Congress giving the FDA power to establish federal safety standards for certain fruit and vegetables.
'While strong government oversight is important, the primary responsibility for product safety rests squarely on the shoulders of those companies that make consumer packaged goods,' said Pamela Bailey, GMA president and CEO. 'As part of our long-standing focus on product safety, GMA has convened top experts from the food and beverage industry, academia and government to discuss and assess recent events and to make recommendations for improving our nation’s food safety net.'
As part of a survey of attendees at the forum, almost 100 per cent of scientists interviewed agreed that food and beverage producers are responsible for producing safe products and that the industry must be committed to strengthening and improving the nation's food safety system.
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