Date: Saturday, July 4, 1998
WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET
Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343

THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES JOINT INSTITUTE FOR FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH AND LABELING OF FRESH JUICES

In his weekly radio address, the President will announce the publication of a final rule to improve the safety of fruit and vegetable juices. The new regulation, which will take effect in time for this year's apple cider season, will help prevent illnesses from fresh, unpasteurized juices by requiring labels on these products. In addition, the President will announce a plan to create a Joint Institute for Food Safety Research that will develop a coordinated strategy for conducting food safety research activities consistent with the President's Food Safety Initiative. Finally, the President will call on Congress to provide full funding for his Food Safety Initiative, pass vital food safety legislation, and confirm Dr. Jane E. Henney as the new FDA commissioner.

Warning Labels for Consumers. The President will announce a final rule that will require warning labels on juice products that have not been processed to reduce microbial risk. These labels will state: "WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and, therefore, may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems." These labels will be required for all packages of untreated, fresh juices but not for juice sold for on-site consumption, such as in restaurants. The rule will be effective for this year's apple cider season. The FDA expects it to reduce significantly the incidence of juice-related illness, now estimated at up to 40,000 cases each year, including both treated and untreated juice.

Food Safety Research Institute. The President will direct the Secretaries of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to report back to him within 90 days on the creation of a Joint Institute for Food Safety Research that will: (1) develop a strategic plan for conducting food safety research activities consistent with the President's Food Safety Initiative; and (2) efficiently coordinate all Federal food safety research, including research conducted with the private sector and academia. The principal goals of this Joint Institute will be to develop the means to identify foodborne hazards more rapidly and accurately, and to develop effective interventions to prevent food contamination at each step from farm to table.

Food Safety Initiative and Legislation. The President also will call on Congress to provide full funding for his $101 million food safety initiative, which would support a variety of measures including: hiring additional FDA inspectors to examine the safety of our nation's fruits and vegetables, both domestic and imported; developing new ways for federal inspectors to detect food-borne illnesses in meat and poultry and determine the source of contamination; improving educational outreach on proper food handling; and expanding our early warning system to help detect and respond to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The President also will call on Congress to pass two vital pieces of legislation to improve the safety of the nation's food supply. One bill will ensure that the FDA halts imports of fruits, vegetables, and other food products that do not meet U.S. food safety requirements or that do not provide the same level of protection as is required for U.S. products. The second bill will give USDA the authority to issue mandatory recalls and impose civil penalties for unsafe meat and poultry.

New FDA Commissioner. The President also called on Congress to confirm Dr. Jane E. Henney as the new Commissioner of the FDA. The FDA needs the strong leadership of Dr. Henney to help lead the way to improving food safety and assuring the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical and biological therapeutics, medical devices, blood products, generic drugs, food additives, and cosmetics.