FDA Proposes Rules For Safer Imported Foods

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is proposing new steps to ensure that fresh produce, cheese and other foods imported into the U.S. are safe.

The proposed rules are required by a sweeping food safety law passed by Congress 2 1/2 years ago. They're meant to establish better checks on what has long been a scattershot effort at guarding against unsafe food imported from more than 150 countries.

FDA is proposing the new guidelines on Friday. They would require U.S. food importers to verify that the foreign companies they import from have the same levels of food safety required in this country.

About 15 percent of the food Americans eat is imported, including about 50 percent of fruits and 20 percent of vegetables.