FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.: FDA’s effort to make more robust use of mandatory recall authority to quickly remove unsafe foods from the market

The commissioner said that the FDA goal is to provide faster and actionable information to consumers related to recalls. Dr. Gottlieb claims that currently, on average, recall happens within 4 days of being discovered. The FDA saw several cases where companies did not agree to voluntarily recall their products. Therefore, today they are taking further steps to implement the FDA’s mandatory recall authority. The FDA will give companies an opportunity to conduct a voluntary recall before ordering a mandatory recall. To date, the FDA had issued only one mandatory recall (on April 2018, for all food products containing powdered kratom manufactured, processed, packed, or held by Triangle Pharmanaturals LLC, due to Salmonella contamination). FDA already acted on the new guidelines, issuing a public warning on imported crab meat from Venezuela as soon as they discovered that there were Vibrio illnesses in several states associated with that product. The FDA also recalled vegetable products that were embedded in many other products. Dr Gottlieb promised that “We’ll continue to improve our policies related to food safety and recalls, and advance our authorities to make sure that that we arm consumers with information to protect themselves and their families.” @ https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm625061.htm?utm_campaign=11052018_Statement_FDA%E2%80%99s%20effort%20to%20make%20more%20robust%20use%20of%20mandatory%20recall%20authority&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua