Changes in food-safety regulations aren’t just limited to the U.S. I recently took part in an international food-safety meeting in China, during which representatives from 19 nations talked about changes underway in food-safety regulations in their respective countries. A few years ago, China established a new food-safety law, as did India. In May, China announced further changes by forming the China Food and Drug Administration to enhance the enforcement of its food-safety regulations. Canada’s Safe Food for Canadians Act of 2012, meanwhile, addresses changes in its food-safety regulations.
The growth in global food procurement has been a driving force behind changing regulatory needs. A sudden shift in U.S. food imports took place 10 years ago, and the value of those imports has since more than doubled. Much of that increase was fostered by economic reasons—ethnic food consumption in the U.S. expanded and imported products are cheaper.