More US Inspection Offices

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they plan to locate testing facilities in Asia and Latin America as the importation of tainted foods continues.

The U.S. plan specifies the need for six FDA offices:,three in China, two in Latin America and one in India before the end of the year. The mandate of these FDA offices is to provide on-site inspections in an effort to allay concerns over imported tainted foods.

The proposal comes following a salmonella outbreak affecting more than 800 people across America in April, May and June of this year. The suspected cause of the poison was contaminated tomatoes from Mexico.

The FDA is concerned that current safeguards could be overwhelmed as US food import volumes grow.

"The strategy of standing at our borders and catching imports that are unsafe, or which might not meet our standard, simply will not be adequate for the future," he added.