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Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) penned a lengthy letter to
USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service this week, demanding
to know why it took so long for the agency to enact the
Topps Meat Co. recall and what steps the agency is taking
to improve its oversight.
"It is alarming that, following several years of reductions
in the number of cases of E. coli infections, we are now
witnessing a sharp rise in both the number of incidents
requiring a recall and that a number of people infected
by this harmful bacteria," Durbin wrote, addressing his
letter to FSIS Under Secretary Dr. Richard Raymond.
Durbin noted there have been 16 recalls this year owing
to E. coli O157:H7 concerns, totaling some 28 million pounds
of beef. Nearly 22 million pounds of beef were recalled
in the Topps case alone.
"This spike warrants additional attention," Durbin wrote.
Among a slew of questions included in the letter, Durbin
asks that Raymond provide a detailed timeline of the Topps
recall, indicate follow-up actions in terms of tracking
down suppliers and divulge inspector staffing levels.
Durbin has long advocated consolidating the 15 separate
federal branches currently charged with protecting the country's
food supply, contending it would eliminate bureaucratic
confusion. For example, the Food and Drug Administration
oversees frozen cheese pizza while USDA presides over frozen
pepperoni pizza.
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