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  1. HFP Constituent Updates

Advancing the Safety of Imported Food

Constituent Update

April 20, 2017

Dr. Donald A. Prater is the Acting Assistant Commissioner for Food Safety Integration in the Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine (FVM). He is responsible for import-related strategic resource planning activities across FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in coordination with FDA’s Office of Global Regulatory Operations and Policy (GO).

In this Q&A interview, Dr. Prater explains that his job is to coordinate foods import activities across the FVM program. Why is this important? Because about 15 percent of the U.S. food supply is imported, including nearly 50 percent of fresh fruit and 20 percent of fresh vegetables, and 80 percent of seafood. We import from more than 200 countries and about 125,000 firms. It’s FDA’s responsibility, along with suppliers and importers, to help ensure imported food is safe. One way FDA can do that is by allocating resources, based on risk, to better protect consumers.

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