Meat and poultry inspections not tough enough, auditors say.
A report from federal auditors urges the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen its oversight of meat and poultry inspections and expand its testing for deadly bacteria.
The report was the first major assessment of government attempts to improve food safety by legislating Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs in 1996. While the report found that food safety officials have taken positive steps under HACCP, it concluded that the program hasn't reached its potential. Further, current activities by USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) fall short of what is "prudent and necessary" to protect consumers, according to USDA Inspector General Roger C. Viadero.