Blame China? Experts Advise Congress, Industry Take A Wider View

The global scope of food safety is becoming apparent, and recent problems with products imported from China are but a part of U.S. food safety concerns, industry experts say.

China is just "the tip of the spear at the moment," United Natural Products Alliance Executive Director Loren Israelsen said.

Furthermore, China "clearly understands the urgency and the enormity of the task at hand," he added in an interview with "The Tan Sheet."

Chinese officials said July 10 the country's food and drug safety situation was unsatisfactory and that supervision needed to be strengthened.

China and the U.S. will sign a memorandum of understanding on food safety by the end of 2007 to resolve food safety issues more effectively, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said July 17.

With China's sensitivity to any negativity heightened as it prepares to host the 2008 Olympics, Israelsen is concerned by actions such as the June 5 letter from House Committee on Energy and Commerce members to FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach.

"The potential for horrible misunderstanding exists here," he said.

The letter says if FDA is "unable to assure the safety of Chinese food imports, then the Administration should consider a complete ban of all food imports from China until such time that FDA can assure the American consumer of the safety of these imports."

Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., and other members ask FDA for specific information on Chinese food imports during 2001-2006.

Data requested includes the numbers of food imports from China, Chinese food samples analyzed by FDA and private laboratories, and Chinese food shipments in violation of U.S. specs re-exported or destroyed.

The letter also concerns FDA and international trade expert Peter Quinter, head of the U.S. Customs and International Trade Department at Becker & Poliakoff.

"I think [Dingell is] exaggerating the potential harm of food products in general being imported to the United States, and in particular his focus on China is unreasonable," said Quinter. The focus on China "is disproportionate to the food products that are coming out of China and were determined to be harmful in some way," he said.

Such a ban "could lead to a trade war with China," Quinter added, noting China is "one of our greatest trading partners."

Quinter said Dingell's suggestion FDA ban food imports from China is politically, fiscally and - because of trans-shipment - logistically unrealistic.

Israelsen also noted the political agenda. "Recent episodes involving Chinese-sourced materials have put a sharp edge on that issue," he said.

Additionally, food safety is now "coupled with many other economic, trade, finance and energy issues that supercharge the problem," he said. "When you join these issues, one would expect that Congress will spend substantial time evaluating this issue, and it will certainly result in broad publicity of the concerns and may likely result in legislation," Israelsen said.

"Some proposed legislation may be fairly pointed directly at certain trade partners," he added. "That's billion-dollar poker stakes."

In an e-mail to industry members, Israelsen says, "The underlying issue continues to be the need for an understanding that management of food safety specifically, and the safety of consumer products generally, rests with the industry."

"China, like other countries, supplies very high- to low-end materials, and solving these problems will not be done by 'calling out' each other publicly with the view to embarrass or intimidate."

"China sells what we choose to buy. Product safety and integrity is our duty. No excuses," he told "The Tan Sheet."

[Editor's note: Additional coverage of Asia is provided at ¹ PharmAsia News , F-D-C Reports' new free site for Asian biotech, pharmaceutical and OTC news.]

- Katia Fowler ([email protected])