New Food Safety Bill New Food Safety Bill Opposed by Food Trade Groups

Dec. 3, 2010 - PRLog -- Tampa, Florida—The International Packaged Ice Association today voiced its opposition to the Food Safety Modernization Act. The IPIA joins other trade groups such as the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association, in raising concerns that the legislation does not do enough to protect the public from food-borne illness outbreaks. If the new bill—S. 510—is signed into law, consumers will remain at risk for E. coli, salmonella, and other food-borne illnesses in many foods, including packaged ice produced in small manufacturing facilities exempted in this Act.
“This food safety bill includes a glaring loophole that is a huge out for many packaged ice manufacturing facilities,” said Jane McEwen, Executive Director of the International Packaged Ice Association.
The IPIA had hoped that the bill would make a bold step toward reducing the possibility of consumers encountering food-borne illnesses in packaged ice. The bill’s major loophole exempts small producers, of which produce millions of pounds of ice for human consumption. In fact, a majority of packaged ice that is sold to the public for consumption is manufactured by producers that would be exempt from new regulations.  
“Moreover, the so-called low-risk foods need to be inspected more than once every three years,” said McEwen. “Peanut butter was considered a low-risk food. We’re talking about basic food safety here and ice is a food.”
Members of the IPIA exceed strict standards for product quality and safety. Their plants regularly undergo third-party audits in order to provide the highest-quality ice products for consumers. However, huge quantities of packaged ice are manufactured by small, local operations that are not subject to the requirements included in the Senate bill.
“We are disappointed by the Senate’s lack of concern for the public’s health and safety with this bill by exempting small producers,” added McEwen, “but we look forward to participating in the rulemaking process at FDA to ensure that these issues are addressed.”

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About The International Packaged Ice Association:
The IPIA was founded in 1917. For 93 years, the non-profit trade association has represented ice producers and suppliers to the trade. A primary part of its mission is to raise awareness amongst consumers and trade partners that Ice is a Food and must be produced and handled to safe standards and best practices.
For additional information about the International Packaged Ice Association, please visit: www.PackagedIce.com or call (813) 258-1690.