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Consumer Food Safety Act of 2003

Introduced: March 27, 2003 Introduced by: Pallone, Frank Democratic · New Jersey See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 10, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 27, 2003
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mar 27, 2003
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Consumer Food Safety Act of 2003 - Declares that persons who produce or process food for human consumption are responsible for preventing or minimizing food safety hazards.

Mandates a national program to protect human health by ensuring that the food industry has effective safety programs for food consumed in the United States.

Mandates regulations: (1) setting standards for sanitation and tolerances for biological, chemical, and physical hazards; (2) requiring process controls, recordkeeping, and sampling; (3) providing for agency records access; (4) unannounced inspections at least quarterly of processing and importing facilities; and (5) tolerances (including indicators) for contaminants.

Authorizes assistance to a State in planning and implementing a food safety program.

Mandates a comprehensive and efficient system to ensure imported food safety.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement with any nation desiring to export food to the United States. Sets forth requirements for the agreement, including reciprocity.

Mandates: (1) inclusion of food in an active surveillance system and more accurate assessment of the frequency and sources of U.S. human illness associated with food; (2) establishment of guidelines for a sampling system; and (3) ranking of food categories based on their hazard to human health and approaches to minimize hazards.

Requires: (1) a national food safety public education program; (2) regional and national food safety advisories; (3) standardized written and broadcast advisory formats; and (4) incorporation of State and local advisories into the national program.

Provides, if there is a reasonable probability that the food would present a public health threat, for voluntary and mandatory recalls.

Authorizes the Secretary to impose traceability requirements on a type or class of food when necessary to assure the protection of public health.

Authorizes civil actions and monetary penalties for violations of this Act.

What's happening now April 10, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2