| Food, Product Recalls Create Anxiety This Holiday Season |
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By: By U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon
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With the litany of recalled foods this year, preparations for holiday dinner may have created extra anxiety for some cooks. Unfortunately, the anxiety doesn’t end after the big meal. Many parents’ food safety anxiety turns to shopping apprehension as they wonder whether the toys on their child’s wish list are safe. The holidays should be a time to enjoy our families rather than worry about contaminated food and defective toys, but 2007 has been the year of product and food recalls.
Over the last few decades, imports of food and consumer products have increased while inspection resources have dwindled. That combination has led to disastrous and dangerous results. This summer alone, 20 million toys manufactured in China were recalled because they were dangerous to children. Some contained nearly 200 times the legal amount of lead. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration’s inspection of food has decreased by 90 percent since 1972.
The shocking statistics indicate that much more can be done to make certain American families are safe. The Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission – the agencies charged with food and product inspection – must have the necessary resources to do their jobs and ensure the integrity of products on store shelves.
That’s why I am working with my colleagues in Congress to improve the inspection of food and toys to make sure they are safe when we bring them home. The House of Representatives has passed a bill to increase funding for food safety programs at the Food and Drug Administration, as well as legislation to increase funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and add employees.
In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is holding hearings to determine how we can best ensure the quality of both domestic and imported goods. As a senior member of the committee, I am supporting additional legislation to provide the Consumer Product Safety Commission with the resources it needs to ensure safety for Americans in today’s global marketplace. We can do a better job of protecting American consumers, particularly children, from dangerous and defective products.
While the situation may seem daunting to some shoppers this year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission offers some tips for toy shopping. The agency reminds parents to avoid toys with small parts and magnets, and to test dolls and figurines to make sure adornments and parts can’t be pulled off, presenting choking hazards. In addition, the commission urges parents to make sure a child’s helmet and other safety gear fits properly before allowing children to use bikes, scooters or in-line skates.
While Congress works to change the status quo, the federal government has a comprehensive Web site where consumers can find out more about recalls and advisories. At www.recalls.gov, consumers can get more information about recalls and warnings and sign up for e-mail alerts from the FDA, Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Highway Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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