DeLauro Calls Questions over Taco Bell E. coli Outbreak Evidence of Confusing Food System

DeLauro Calls Questions over Taco Bell E. coli Outbreak Evidence of Confusing Food System

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) today issued the following comment on the outbreak of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (E. Coli) that has been linked to several Taco Bell restaurants in the Northeast. DeLauro is the ranking member of the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee - a subcommittee she is likely to chair in the 110th Congress - and co-chair of the Congressional Food Safety Caucus. For two consecutive Congresses, DeLauro and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) have introduced The Safe Food Act - legislation that would consolidate all food safety surveillance activities and establish the Food Safety Administration, responsible for the administration and enforcement of our food safety laws.

"The recent E. coli outbreak at Taco Bell demonstrates how the confusing regulatory structure is contributing to declining consumer confidence in our food safety system. At one point during the investigation, for example, state authorities identified 99 E. coli cases while the CDC cited only 43 cases. Taco Bell also hired an independent laboratory to assist them in quickly identifying the E. coli source - presumably because federal agencies would not have been as responsive. A streamlined federal regulatory structure focused exclusively on food safety would be better suited to respond to these food-borne illness outbreaks and help states and companies identify problems sooner and prevent major outbreaks later."

http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2006/December/Taco%20Bell_Ecoli_Safe%20Food%20Act_12_07_06.html