Hamburg told the news agency that globally there are too many food manufacturers and producers supplying the US for the FDA to be able to inspect every one. Instead, she has said that the FDA should focus on those foods that present the highest risk – and fresh produce tops the list.

“We are focusing not on keeping a tally of how many inspections we do…but how do we make a difference in people's lives,” she was reported as saying.

"The number of recent outbreaks have underscored for the public and policymakers that things need to change."