Government Accountability Office

GAO report finds current US sugar policy needs reform, Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy agrees

06-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The report recommends that USDA update the sugar program's trade rules, providing the USDA more flexibility to bring more sugar into the market when needed by manufacturers and small businesses. Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy agrees it’s “time to...

‘Needed’: FDA issues draft guidance for best practices for GRAS panels

20-Nov-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Hailed by experts as ‘needed’ and ‘significant’, the US Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance on best practices to follow when convening a panel of experts to evaluate whether a substance is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).

The US food system is inefficient, researchers say, so they created a strategy blueprint

16-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

There are 15 federal agencies that have 30 different statutes related to food safety, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed in January.

GAO argues again that the US should unite the 19 agencies that oversee food safety under one system

21-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Citing an uptick in multi-state foodborne illness outbreaks and their high cost to consumers and manufacturers alike, the Government Accountability Office reiterates its 40-year argument for a single, unified food safety system – this time under the Executive...

Imported seafood standards strengthened

12-Dec-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

A program to make the US seafood supply chain more traceable has been finalised by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Scathing government report questions FDA food recall data reliability

30-Jul-2012 By Ben Bouckley

A hard-hitting government report says the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needs to publicise its food safety recall procedures, and that is unclear how accurate the agency’s food recall data is.

Self-affirmed GRAS under fire as AHA steps up sodium reduction campaign

16-Feb-2012 By Elaine Watson

There are serious weaknesses in the system that allows firms to self-affirm the safety of foods without the approval or knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

GAO criticizes FDA seafood import safety program as ‘limited’

18-May-2011 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has criticized the FDA’s program to oversee the safety of imported fish and seafood as ‘limited’, in a new report issued this week.

Food safety fragmentation still a problem, says GAO

21-Mar-2011 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

The establishment of a Food Safety Working Group in 2009 was a ‘positive first step’ but more work is needed to address fragmented oversight of US food safety, says the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Better FDA guidance needed to avoid ‘misleading’ health claims

18-Jan-2011 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

The FDA needs to provide better industry guidance on how to avoid making potentially misleading health claims on food labels, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

FDA roasted over irradiation petition handling

22-Mar-2010 By Rory Harrington

A US Congressional watchdog has slammed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a catalogue of failings over its handling of petitions to use irradiation on food.

FDA should improve GRAS oversight, says GAO

08-Mar-2010 By Caroline Scott-Thomas

The FDA needs to improve its oversight of GRAS (generally recognized as safe) food ingredients, claims a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Greater vigilance needed for GE crops

09-Dec-2008 By Sarah Hills

Measures to help prevent the unauthorized release of genetically engineered crops into food do not go far enough, according to a report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).