Report says FDA struggles to keep food safe

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new report says the Food and Drug Administration is stretched thin and needs to reorganize to better keep the nation's food safe.

The report released by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council Tuesday says the agency needs to become more efficient and better target its limited dollars to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.

Robert Wallace, chairman of the committee that authored the report, said the FDA is too often reactive and not focused enough on prevention. The report recommends the agency focus on preventing outbreaks in the riskiest foods rather than tackling problems on a case-by-case basis.

The FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of about 80 percent of the nation's food supply.