Food safety system under fire at congressional hearing

Susan Roberts, CBS News

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Feb 26, 2008 at 4:26 PM EST

Story Updated: Feb 26, 2008 at 4:26 PM EST

(CBS) How safe is the food available for you to buy? That's the question a congressional committee looked into Tuesday.

Lawmakers want to know if the food safety system in the United States is broken.

A congressional committee grilled experts and food company executives about the products they send into the food supply.

"Responsibility for supplying safe and wholesome foods does not rest solely with the government,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich) at the hearing.

“The most important thing is to work with industry, to work with consumers, to build safety nets,” said Attorney William Marler.

This hearing came on the heels of the largest beef recall in American history. Undercover video shot by the Humane Society shows workers at California's Westland-Hallmark meat packing company shocking and prodding sick cows to stand up so they could pass inspection. The company's CEO was a no-show at Tuesday's hearing, but the Humane Society was there.

"We knew downed animals were going into the food supply — but that's legal,” exclaimed Dr. Michael Greger, of the Humane Society of the U.S., at the hearing.

Congress is probing more than beef. In the last year, there were 91 major food recalls, covering everything from fresh spinach to peanut butter. Two of those recalled products were manufactured by ConAgra foods.

"I personally will ensure that we will continuously challenge and improve our food safety programs, and make certain that food safety is the centerpiece of our corporate culture,” said Gary Rodkin, CEO ConAgra Foods, at the hearing.

With 1 in 4 Americans suffering from a food-borne illness every year, lawmakers know food safety has to be "the" priority for the nation's manufacturers, before even more people get sick.

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