As more Americans are sickened by the salmonella outbreak sweeping the country, consumer groups have urged the FDA to put emergency rules in place to track the movement of produce.
Food safety and consumer groups argue that traceability will make it easier for officials to track the origin of fruits and vegetables and identify the source of foodborne toxins such as salmonella or E. coli.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Consumer Federation of America said that an effective tracking plan must follow the produce from the farm to the table, and use a single system that ensures proper record-keeping throughout the process.