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For Immediate Release:
June 17, 1997

International Trade Agreements Threaten Food Safety Standards

U.S. Could Be Compelled to Accept Imported Foods Falling Below FDA/USDA Requirements

The negotiations will take place during proceedings of the Codex Alimentarius, a subsidiary of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Codex develops international food safety standards that since 1994 can be used by the World Trade Organization to settle international trade disputes.

On the agenda for Codex during the week of June 23 are international standards permitting:

• Unpasteurized cheese and other dairy products. Such products were banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987. Prior to the FDA action, the sale of such products in the U.S. caused a number of deaths and severe illnesses.

• Meat products inspected by company employees rather than by government-paid inspectors. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has required government inspection of meat since 1907. Just last year, President Clinton announced new regulations to improve meat inspection in the wake of deaths from E.coli O157:H7 contaminated hamburger.

• Bottled mineral water with lower levels of minerals than those permitted by the FDA. Amid much fanfare, the FDA finalized standards for bottled water less than two years ago.

• Food additives not approved by the FDA for use in the United States.

• Fruit juices, milk, and other foods contaminated with lead at levels exceeding U.S. standards. Such food products could be harmful to children.

Since 1994, countries wishing to import foods into the U.S. could challenge as a trade barrier any USDA or FDA regulation that exceeds Codex standards. The World Trade Organization relies on Codex standards when settling such disputes. Using such procedures, the United States, itself, is pressuring the European Union to accept imported U.S. meat from cattle treated with growth hormones even though many European governments believe that the use of such hormones raises safety concerns.

“The proposed international standards,” Silverglade said, “if approved by Codex, would threaten basic U.S. regulatory requirements that provide for the pasteurization of dairy products, limit lead contamination of food, mandate government inspection of meat, and protect consumers from inadequately tested food additives.”

CSPI's report recommended specific actions to protect U.S. consumers from the threats of weak international standards. Among those recommendations:

• U.S. government representatives participating in Codex proceedings should vigorously oppose standards that are weaker than U.S. regulations and call for votes on controversial matters.

• U.S. trade negotiators should advocate the development of non-binding Codex guidelines that could not be used in trade disputes.

• The U.S. Codex office should be moved from the Department of Agriculture to the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that health concerns take priority over trade issues.

• The participation of food industry representatives in Codex proceedings should be limited and consumer representation increased to ensure that the U.S. delegation to such meetings is appropriately balanced.

“Part of the problem,” Silverglade said, “is that the USDA and FDA are being forced to perform a dual mission -- protecting the health of American consumers and also facilitating international trade. Conflicts of interest inevitably result when trade objectives clash with public health goals.”

“It's time for the USDA and FDA to stop trying to wear two hats. The agencies should stop trying to facilitate international trade and re-devote themselves to protecting the health of American consumers,” Silverglade said. “If they don't,” he added, “an increase in world trade will result in a decrease in food safety standards.”

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit health-advocacy organization that focuses on nutrition, food safety, and alcohol policy. It fought for -- and won -- the law that requires “Nutrition Facts” labels on all food packages. CSPI is supported largely by the 900,000 subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter and accepts no industry or government funding.

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