Food Safety: An Interview With Joseph A. Levitt : Part 4

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 4 of 4)

Q: What else has the FDA done to improve the labeling of food?

A: One of the FDA's greatest developments over the past decade was the development of the new food nutrition label. The label, which now appears on virtually all food products, gives consumers clear and reliable information on everything from calories, fat and sodium to protein and vitamins. That same principle of clear and reliable information to consumers is something we've applied to food labeling across the board. If there are claims of a health benefit in the labeling, we make sure that they are supported by good scientific studies and that they state clearly what the benefit is, without over-promising. It applies to clear information on food allergens, and, increasingly, it applies to safety information we want consumers to be aware of.

For example, a couple of years ago we required a warning on unpasteurized juice products after there was a series of illnesses and one death. We wanted to be sure that consumers were aware that our most vulnerable populations — children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems — could be at risk of serious illness from consumption of juice that is not pasteurized.

Q: The FDA, as part of a cooperative effort with the Federal Trade Commission, Health Canada, and state attorneys general recently took action against several marketers who fraudulently sold dietary supplements and other "health" products on the Internet. What should consumers do to ensure that the health products they buy online are legal, safe and effective?

A: The Internet certainly has provided greater access to everything from information to products. That includes food products and dietary supplements regulated by the FDA. It is much more difficult for the agency to regulate products sold over the Internet. It's harder to find where the marketers are. And if you are a marketer, it's easier to close down one Web site and start up another than to close down one set of offices and reopen another. When necessary, we are taking action against products sold on the Internet that do not meet applicable requirements. We are also partnering with other federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and state agencies. But consumers need to do their part, too. The basic advice is: Do your homework. Talk to your health-care professional to make sure that the products you use are right for you. That's true whether you're buying a product on the Internet, at the grocery store, or at your local health food store.

Dietary supplements have a lot of positive uses but they also carry some potential risks, and every product isn't appropriate for everyone. Consumers need to take responsibility for doing the proper research and for consulting with health-care professionals to ensure that the products they take are right for them. It's also important for those who use supplements and take prescription drugs to tell their health-care provider what they're taking because we're starting to learn more about cross-reactions among different products. If you don't tell your health professionals all of the drugs and supplements that you're taking, they won't be able to advise you correctly.

Q: What's the biggest challenge that you and the staff at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition face each day?

A: The biggest challenge we face in an agency like the FDA is to be sure that we stay focused on those problems or issues that most directly benefit American consumers. Each year, our center sends out a call to consumer groups, industry groups, and to health-care groups, asking for input on what we should focus on during the next year. The central question is: Where do we do the most good for consumers? That's how we stay focused. There are so many issues, and so many groups that want us to pay attention to their needs. We need to keep the consumer who lives next door first and foremost in our minds. That's why we exist.

Q: What's the take-home message?

A: First, that the world of food safety has fundamentally changed in many ways. The consumer has to change with it and the government has to change with it, too. Take computers for example. It's obvious to everyone that the world of computers has changed — in barely a generation we've gone from electric typewriters to laptop computers and ready Internet access. Everybody can see that. The change in the food supply is much more subtle. It's harder to see. But the changes are just as dramatic. We are now eating a greater variety of foods, particularly seafood and fresh fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw. On the one hand, these products are nutritious. On the other hand, these foods can introduce many more sources of potential contamination, since they are not cooked.

There also are many more kinds of harmful bacteria that can potentially contaminate our food. A physician from the American Medical Association said recently, "It's not your grandma's kitchen any more." That's true. Today, Americans get their food from all around the world, every month of the year. We also eat more food prepared outside the home where more and more food workers become involved in preparing our food, cooking our food, and serving our food. And when food is contaminated, there are many more people who are more susceptible to foodborne illness — pregnant women, the very young, the elderly, and those with impaired immune systems.

So we now have a food supply that has within it a whole different dynamic than the one we grew up with. People need to know that the world of food safety has changed. That means increased vigilance all around. Does that mean that people need to be scared? No. What it does mean is that people need to take proper precautions just like they do when they get into their cars and fasten their seatbelts. Our main consumer messages are: Keep your hands and cooking surfaces clean; cook food to proper temperatures; refrigerate food promptly; and separate foods to avoid cross-contamination — in other words, don't put raw chicken on the cutting board just before you cut lettuce. "Healthy vigilance" for everyone involved should be the take-home message.

About the Author

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FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.