Following food-poisoning outbreaks from tainted eggs, spinach, and peanut butter in recent years, the U.S. Senate this week approved an overhaul of food-safety laws. The legislation, which passed on a rare bipartisan 73–25 vote, grants broader regulatory and investigative powers to the Food and Drug Administration, creates more stringent guidelines for farmers and food processors, and sets safety rules for imported foods. The legislation would enable regulators to prevent food contamination rather than merely respond to outbreaks. The House last year passed its own legislation, but House leaders say they may adopt the Senate version to speed the law’s passage this year.
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