Recent food safety scares in the U.S. have sparked an investigation by The New York Times* into an over-reliance on private (or third-party) food inspectors to certify the safety of food processing plants. In some cases, as in the Peanut Corporation of America scandal, the inspectors were hired by the companies being inspected, leading to potential conflicts of interest.
“‘The contributions of third-party audits to food safety is the same as the contribution of mail-order diploma mills to education,’ said Mansour Samadpour, a Seattle consultant who has worked with companies nationwide to improve food safety.”
Federal food inspectors, whom the article identifies as “overwhelmed,” typically conduct more thorough inspections but cost the food companies more money. Food companies have been increasingly relying on private inspectors for these reasons, the article asserts.
*Note: You may need to log in to read the article on The New York Times website.
