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FDA Inspects Tiny Fraction of Produce Shipped to US
27 Oct
Summary
- Less than 10% of foreign produce facilities inspected since 2009.
- Mexico supplies most imported produce, linked to cyclosporiasis outbreak.
- FDA foreign food inspections missed 95% target last year.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has inspected a minimal fraction of foreign facilities responsible for the majority of imported fruits and vegetables. Since 2009, fewer than 10 percent of these facilities, accounting for 90 percent of shipments, have undergone FDA inspection. This oversight gap is particularly concerning as Americans consume increasing amounts of imported produce, with Mexico being a primary source.
This lack of inspection raises food safety concerns, especially since produce is often consumed raw and vulnerable to contamination. Major outbreaks, such as the cyclosporiasis linked to Mexican iceberg lettuce, have highlighted these risks, with the implicated facility last inspected seven years prior to the outbreak.
While the FDA employs other oversight methods, including border testing and record inspections, foreign inspections remain critically low. Last year, the agency completed only 1,024 foreign food inspections, merely 5 percent of its congressional target. The FDA attributes these shortcomings to funding, understaffing, and recruitment challenges, although it is seeking additional funds for inspections and facility fees.
