U.S. Needs More Power to Prevent Tainted Foods and Toxic Toys

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It took a string of high-profile and -- in some cases -- deadly contaminated food incidents, but a high-level panel is recommending that President Bush take the advice of consumer advocates: The U.S. government needs to inspect more food, drugs and consumer products, and it needs the authority to order a recall of tainted products whether or not the manufacturer cooperates.

Under the recommendations, outlined by the Associated Press, the Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission would have more inspectors in foreign countries that export large quantities of food or other products to the United States, and the agencies would have the authority to mandate a recall. Now, they only works with companies on voluntary recalls.

The panel would also recommend certifying companies with a proven track record, with the hope that the seal of approval helps encourage good behavior by boosting the market for reliable products.

The recommendations follow a string of recalls -- of toothpaste, pet food, toys -- all of which were toxic, and most of which were manufactured in China. Consumer advocates have been calling for an increase to federal authority on product safety for years, if not decades.

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