Dive Summary:
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced newly-proposed rules on Friday that would mandate that foreign companies exporting food products to the U.S. exercise food safety practices similar to their American counterparts—and, more importantly, that U.S. importers verify compliance.
- The Associated Press reports that these new rules may cost the food industry up to $472 million per year.
- The rules were expected, as they were required by the food safety law passed by Congress in December 2010.
From the article:
... Many food companies and importers already follow the steps that the FDA is proposing. But officials say the new requirements for domestic and imported foods could have saved lives and prevented illnesses in several of the large-scale outbreaks that have hit the country in recent years. ...