The U.S. Senate's passage of a sweeping food safety bill on Tuesday would give the Food and Drug Administration unprecedented power to regulate food contamination, but no immediate regulations would be imposed upon the Gulf Coast oyster industry.
An amendment to the legislation will require the FDA to first conduct public health and cost assessments before issuing any new regulations that would affect the processing and consumption of raw oysters.
While the bill still must be passed by the House of Representatives, the House approved a similar bill last year.
The legislation, which gives the FDA power to demand food recalls and increases inspections on high-risk foods, comes a year after the FDA backed down on proposed 2011 bacterial treatment requirements for raw oysters in warmer months.
To read the rest of the story: The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA).
