Foodborne illnesses are a severe problem solving which can significantly improve the quality of the population’s life and save budget funds for other health needs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC), one in six Americans is sick due to food and drink poisoning, and 3,000 people die every year (“CDC and food safety,” 2018). Numerous government agencies are responsible for the protection of people from food-related diseases in the United States at different levels. In particular, 15 agencies together control the conduction of at least 30 food safety laws (Longley, 2020). Nevertheless, two central federal units are in charge of the American food system safety. They are the US Department of Agriculture (or USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (or FDA) accountable to the US Department of Health and Human Services (Longley, 2020). Despite the high level of organizations, the population may question the effectiveness of their activities.
USDA controls the quality of meat, and egg processing products including import and national production. The FDA is claimed responsibility to control the safety of other foods. Both entities conduct laboratory research, create programs to improve product safety in collaboration with the CDC and other structures, and more (“CDC and food safety,” 2018). In the area of food safety, particular emphasis is placed on setting standards in this area and rigorously harmonizing all products produced in the country. The rules have a scientific basis and are enshrined in congressional legislation. In practice, this means that their manufacturers’ violation inevitably puts into effect a system of sanctions.
Every year, FDA inspectors take samples of products for inspections. Scientists and specialists check the physicochemical properties and correctness of labeling. In the case of violations, the Office suggests that the manufacturer eliminate the scrap or withdraw poor quality products from the market. FDA experts believe that product recall is the most effective method to protect consumer rights (Longley, 2020). In addition to checking the quality of products entrusted to them, the USDA is engaged in training specialists and involving scientists to improve food safety.
Nevertheless, the influence of state control bodies may not reach all parts of the market economy. There is no integrated food quality control system within a single center. This task is carried out by many bodies at different levels and within different powers. The quality and freshness of products that get onto store shelves depend on the integrity of stores and local authorities’ activities. For this reason, the population still receives poisoning and suffers from food-related diseases. To prevent such situations, the USDA and the FDA are extending recommendations from government agencies designed for usage by both those responsible for providing the products and consumers.
Thus, in the United States, the barrier to protecting the population from diseases is a too disparate food quality control system. However, the historically established system of control and their interaction performs the functions assigned to it. The main feature of this system is that state control over food quality is exclusively “non-departmental.” That is, controlling organizations are not directly involved in the production process, although they are broadly responsible for the country’s food market. As a result, they can act as stakeholders exclusively in the health of the population, and not in the personal economic benefits. Despite some of its shortcomings, the work of such structures as the USDA and the FDA is an example for many countries of the world.
References
CDC and food safety. (2018). Web.
Longley, R. (2020). The US food safety system. ThoughtCo. Web.