Earlier this week, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act was introduced to Congress in response to one of the largest food recalls in the nation’s history – the recall of Salmonella-tainted peanut butter products.


This bipartisan bill proposes an increased frequency of inspections at food facilities, requires importers to verify the safety of overseas food, and grants the FDA more power to access records and testing results as well as the authority to issue a recall of a product if a company fails to do so.


“Over the last year, we've seen major recalls of peanut butter spiked with salmonella, spinach laced with E. coli and chili loaded with botulism,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, in a press conference earlier this week. “These are not isolated incidents and are the result of an outdated, underfunded and overwhelmed food safety system. [This] bill will improve the [FDA’s] ability to prevent food-borne illness outbreaks and ensure the FDA responds quickly and effectively when outbreaks do occur.”


The proposed package would grant $825 million to the FDA for the hiring of new agents to inspect food plants.


It is unclear right now how this bill will impact nutrition and energy bars, water supplements, dehydrated foods and other outdoor industry products.