PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 10, 2001
Consumer Food Safety Act of 2001 - Declares that persons who produce or process food for human consumption are responsible for preventing or minimizing food safety hazards.Mandates a national program to protect human health by ensuring that the food industry has effective safety programs for food consumed in the United States.Requires that any food processing facility and importer register.Mandates regulations: (1) setting standards for sanitation and tolerances for biological, chemical, and physical hazards; (2) requiring process controls, recordkeeping, and sampling; (3) providing for agency records access; (4) unannounced inspections at least quarterly of processing and importing facilities; and (5) tolerances (including indicators) for contaminants.Authorizes assistance to a State in planning and implementing a food safety program.Mandates a comprehensive and efficient system to ensure imported food safety.Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement with any nation desiring to export food to the United States. Sets forth requirements for the agreement, including reciprocity.Mandates: (1) inclusion of food in an active surveillance system and more accurate assessment of the frequency and sources of U.S. human illness associated with food; (2) establishment of guidelines for a sampling system; and (3) ranking of food categories based on their hazard to human health and approaches to minimize hazards.Requires: (1) a national food safety public education program; (2) regional and national food safety advisories; (3) standardized written and broadcast advisory formats; and (4) incorporation of State and local advisories into the national program.Provides, if there is a reasonable probability that the food would present a public health threat, for voluntary and mandatory recalls.Authorizes the Secretary to impose traceability requirements on a type or class of food when necessary to assure the protection of public health.Authorizes civil actions and monetary penalties for violations of this Act.
People & committees
Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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