GMA TO FIGHT SPREAD OF HACCP PROGRAM

JIM OSTROFF

WASHINGTON (FNS) -- The Grocery Manufacturers of America is preparing to fight what it said is a misguided effort by the Food and Drug Administration to impose costly new food safety regulations on the entire packaged food industry.

At a press briefing here Dec. 1, the food manufacturers' association said it is concerned FDA is angling to mandate all food manufacturers to adopt a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, or HACCP, safety monitoring program similar to one FDA will impose on the seafood industry. The seafood HACCP program is expected to take effect next year. The comment period for FDA's plans for the seafood HACCP program ended Dec. 2.

GMA said at the briefing, in comments filed with FDA, that it would oppose the spread of an HACCP program into all packaged food manufacturing, taking its case to the new Congress if necessary.

The HACCP program to be imposed on seafood processors is a series of stringent preventive controls at various steps in the production process to guard against bacterial contamination.

Jeffrey Nedelman, GMA's communications and strategic planning vice president, said the association believes FDA will require food manufacturers to go the same route.

An FDA official denied this. "It is not our intention to impose a 'one-size-fits-all' program on the entire food industry," said Brad Stone, a spokesman contacted by SN after the press briefing.

Nedelman said GMA's concerns were based on conversations between its staff and FDA officials about the agency's intent

for HACCP. Nedelman said such a mandate, if imposed industrywide, could cost firms up to $500,000 each in startup costs and an unknown amount thereafter.

Dr. Stephen Ziller, GMA's science and technology vice president, said that existing, voluntary programs in place at food manufacturing plants insure consumers will buy safe products at the supermarket.

Ziller said one food safety study found that 7% to 10% of all U.S. food-borne illness cases were traced to processed foods, adding that most of these cases likely were caused by improper consumer handling of the product.

GMA representatives said any further federally-mandated food safety programs should be aimed at dealing first with specific, dangerous bacteria and then focus on how food safety can be assured, on a case-by-case basis, by manufacturers.

"What we fear most is a blunderbuss approach to all foods that would create chaos," said Peter Hutt, a one-time FDA general counsel, who now represents GMA.

Hutt noted that certain foods, such as soft cheeses and ice cream, are more easily contaminated by bacteria than other foods, and that the FDA should focus on ways to better insure the integrity of specific food manufacturing processes, rather than adopt a "one-size-fits-all approach."

Nedelman said GMA may take a political route to short-circuit further FDA action.

When asked whether GMA would appeal next year to the new Republican-dominated Congress to halt FDA rulemaking on HACCP, Nedelman said: "When consumers went to the polls last month, they sent a message to the White House, Congress and the regulators that we, as an industry, have known for five years: They [consumers] want better value for their money and they don't want government intrusion.

"I believe this view will follow over to the [HACCP] regulations," he said, adding, "at FDA, there are smart politicians."

Responding to the GMA briefing, FDA's Stone said the agency's intention in issuing its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking "was to determine industry and consumers' thoughts on the need for moving to a HACCP-based program and what food industry segments could most easily adopt this."

Stone said the agency recognizes the diversity of processes used in making foods.

However, Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, rebutted GMA's arguments that new industry-wide regulation is unnecessary.

"This is an industry with a record that proves the need for better controls and regulations."