Before cyclosporiasis was preceded by weakend policies and cut funding to federal agenceis. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
July 27 (UPI) -- Before the outbreak of cyclosporiasis, the Food and Drug Administration delayed the enforcement of a policy designed to improve the process of tracking and removing potentially contaminated foods, including iceberg lettuce.
The FDA announced on March 20 that it is extending the Food Traceability Final Rule by 30 months. The policy was originally supposed to take effect on Jan. 20.
The FDA described the rule as allowing "for faster identification and removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and deaths."
Due to funding cuts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention terminated the Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network program. This program was used to track foodborne illnesses, supporting state and local food safety programs.
