good news for food eaters

That is, for everyone: FDA announced today a new electronic database that will require food processors to notify the agency of food contamination within 24 hours. From USA Today:

Food makers must alert government officials of potentially contaminated products within 24 hours under a new rule designed to help federal regulators spot food safety issues sooner.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday unveiled a new electronic database where manufacturers must notify the government if they believe one of their products is likely to cause sickness or death in people or animals.

Regulators said the database will help the FDA prevent widespread illness from contaminated products and direct inspectors to plants that pose a high safety concern.

[...]

The law creating the database was passed in 2007, after Congress criticized the FDA for its handling of safety problems with a range of foods and drugs.

The FDA has struggled since then to manage a spate of food-safety recalls, including national outbreaks of salmonella linked to peppers and peanut butter. President Obama earlier this year pledged to improve the safety of the nation's food supply, after tainted peanut butter from a Georgia plant sickened hundreds of Americans, causing one of the largest food recalls in recent history.

The last two paragraphs are telling; although the law was passed in 2007, it has not been implemented until now. Although such a database undoubtedly takes time to create, test, and implement, this is nonetheless a reflection of the new Administration's priorities. Despite the initial excitement over the First 100 Days, it really is just getting to the point now that President Obama is really filling up his high-level appointments, and as we see more dedicated civil servants taking over the reigns, we'll likely see more small victories like this one.

In related news, Attorney General Eric Holder announced early this month efforts to restore the role of the Civil Rights Division, with an increase of $22 million to their budget and the hiring of up to 50 new attorneys.