In a large meat recall earlier this year – without known illnesses – Food Safety News reported that a Bush administration decision (continued under the Obama administration) thwarts transparency in where recalled product was ultimately sold and consumed. According to Food Safety News, it turns out that restaurants that make direct purchases from establishments involved in the recall are excluded from the retail recall list. Here is the link to the Regulation.
Why do restaurants get a free pass on disclosure?
According to Food Safety News, Dr. Richard Raymond, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety during President George W. Bush’s second term, was head of FSIS when the agency began releasing retail recall lists. Raymond said that when he sent the regulation permitting FSIS to issue retail lists over to the Office of Management and Budget for its approval, restaurants were dropped.
Why?
Looking back over the last several years of recalls, how often were the names of restaurants and others excluded from publication?
Why?