Statement of Jerold Mande, CEO, Nourish Science

FDA Proposed Redesign of Human Foods Program

I congratulate Dr. Califf and FDA for making a serious effort to address FDA’s many food failings. Unfortunately, they failed to use this hard work to produce a plan that solves the fundamental problems.

The #1 problem is inadequate resources including budget. This plan doesn’t propose them.

#2 we must make at least an equal effort to combat acute and chronic food illness. This plan will take nutrition, which is currently listed equally with food safety, and relegate it to what seems to be a small, unfunded, and separate center.

FDA was created to ensure processed food doesn’t make us sick, acutely or chronically. This plan will do virtually nothing to reduce the 1,600 deaths a day due to chronic food illness.

It’s time to move the F in FDA to a “Department of Food and Agriculture” that would elevate food & nutrition policy to the Cabinet level where it needs to be.