Michael Taylor set to tackle food safety at FDA

The Obama Administration and Congress have directed focus towards preventing disease outbreaks after food poisoning incidents have raised national attention. The new FDA deputy commissioner for foods, Michael Taylor, is responsible for addressing food safety threats, and has taken actions such as streamlining the three divisions of the FDA to increase efficiency and tightening regulation to ensure accurate nutrition claims.

“We are at a historic tipping point – a moment when the forces have aligned like never before; the president, Congress, industry and the public have stepped up their support for our mission,” Taylor said.

Despite Taylor supporting rBGH (a dairy production promotant) and Monsanto’s GMO products previously at the FDA, Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, states, “He is the quintessential revolving door. On the other hand, when he went to USDA, what he did there was absolutely heroic. He’s been very strong on food safety.”

Full story: The Washington Post