The quality control system used by the nation’s major food producers and retailers, which relies heavily on outside auditors hired to inspect suppliers’ products, is fraught with weaknesses, The Washington Post reports.
The inspection system emerged in part because chain stores and food producers want assurance about the products they sell and ingredients that they use. In addition, the field has grown rapidly in the past decade as companies try to protect themselves from lawsuits, as well as tainted products that can damage their brand names.
But more inspections, industry experts say, have not necessarily led to safer products or better-informed consumers. For one thing, the inspections do not provide ratings systems that consumers can consult.
The so-called independent auditors themselves vary widely in experience and qualifications, ranging from recent college graduates to retired food industry veterans. To cut costs, food companies often choose the cheapest auditors to conduct inspections, which can range from about $1,000 to more than $25,000. And the setup all works without government oversight.
What’s more, suppliers often know when auditors are coming, giving them an opportunity to prepare for inspections. And basic inspections generally do not include microbial sampling for bacteria.
The result, according to an expert quoted by the Post: most suppliers sail through inspections, even those that turn out to have problems. Wright County Egg and the Peanut Corp. of America, both involved in salmonella-related recalls, received “superior” food-safety ratings – the highest possible — from the same inspection firm months before their recalls.
Still, new research released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests there may be a better way to achieve quality, at least in retail food establishments. The research found that the presence of certified food protection managers corresponded with significantly better food safety practices in such establishments as fast-food restaurants, full-service restaurants, and supermarket meat and poultry and produce departments.
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