FDA Will Resume Inspecting Some High-Risk Foods
With the partial US government shutdown still in effect, there haven’t been enough food safety workers to properly conduct inspections at high-risk food manufacturing and other processing plants. But that…
BERLIN, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 08: Fresh fruits and vegetables lie on display at a Spanish producer’s stand at the Fruit Logistica agricultural trade fair on February 8, 2017 in Berlin, Germany. The fair, which takes place from February 8-10, is taking place amidst poor weather and harvest conditions in Spain that have led to price increases and even rationing at supmermarkets for fresh vegetables across Europe. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)With the partial US government shutdown still in effect, there haven't been enough food safety workers to properly conduct inspections at high-risk food manufacturing and other processing plants.
But that will change this week.
According to a report in the New York Times, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb is calling back some furloughed federal employees to resume their jobs, unfortunately without paychecks for now.
Gottlieb is also hopeful that his non-inspectors would return to the job even though they too won't receive a check, saying they're "dedicated and want to come back."
High-risk inspections, which make up about one-third of the agency's workload, will start back up on Tuesday, but others will still have to wait, reveals Gottlieb.
