USDA Issues Recall Policy; NFPA Has Questions

January 17, 2000

USDA will issue news releases for all meat and poultry recalls regardless of whether the products pose any health risks. The National Food Processors Association says USDA is "overloading consumers with non-essential information" with the new policy and has "ignored its own advice."

"We've decided that erring on the side of getting more information to consumers is the approach to take," said Margaret Glavin, Food Safety and Inspection Service associate administrator, according to THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

USDA announced Friday it would notify the public every time meat processors recall products even if there is no health risk involved or no way for consumers to tell if the recalled products have been purchased.

"FSIS's own recall working group originally recommended that USDA work with food companies on news releases involving recalls and make the determination on a case-by-case basis as to whether the news release should come from the food company or from USDA," said NFPA Vice President Dane Bernard. "We are perplexed why USDA has ignored its own advice and has announced that it will not issue all recall-related news releases."

Consumers should be notified of food recalls "only when the products in question pose a threat to consumers and consumers need to take action," Bernard said. "By releasing information to media and consumers on each and every recall, USDA will be overloading consumers with non-essential information and burying critical alerts on which consumer attention should be focused."