Federal officials are examining potential changes to how the Food and Drug Administration conducts routine food safety inspections across the United States, according to recent reports. While CBS News cited multiple unnamed federal health officials claiming the FDA plans to end most routine inspections, the Department of Health and Human Services has disputed this characterization.
The discussions come amid heightened concerns about food safety following a significant E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s onions that resulted in one death and over 100 illnesses. Federal data indicates foodborne diseases affect approximately 48 million Americans annually, with 3,000 fatalities.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson stated the FDA remains committed to maintaining critical programs and inspections during any reorganization period. According to reports, the potential changes might involve shifting more inspection responsibilities to state agencies, allowing the FDA to prioritize higher-risk inspections and foreign oversight.
The current system already incorporates state partnerships. The FDA trains state inspectors to ensure consistency in methodology, and findings are shared between state partners and federal authorities. Some inspections are also conducted by foreign countries with appropriate agreements in place. The FDA indicates it uses a risk-based approach that considers the global food supply chain when prioritizing inspections.
Recent staffing reductions at the Department of Health and Human Services, reportedly affecting some 10,000 positions across agencies, have complicated the situation. With fewer staff members available, the FDA’s inspection capacity has been impacted, potentially leading to plans for hiring contractors to address personnel shortages.
A Government Accountability Office report released earlier this year highlighted existing challenges, noting the FDA has not met its domestic and foreign inspection targets since 2018. Between 2018 and 2023, the agency conducted an average of 8,353 domestic inspections and 917 foreign inspections annually. The report identified limited workforce capacity as the primary obstacle to meeting inspection goals.
Under the current system, the FDA prioritizes inspections based on risk assessment factors related to food safety and potential public health impacts. Any changes to this approach would need to address how inspections would be handled in states without existing FDA partnerships.
The Consumer Federation of America has expressed concern about how policy changes might affect foodborne illness detection and prevention, while acknowledging that increased state involvement in routine inspections could potentially improve food safety under the right circumstances.
Commenting on this article, the nation’s leading E. coli lawyer said, “Reducing the number of inspections will likely only increase the number of foodborne illness outbreaks in this country. More inspectors and inspections are needed, not less.”
