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WASHINGTON – After another strain of salmonella was found in a plant that makes processed foods including soups, sauces, stews and hot dogs, lawmakers and a Food and Drug Administration official called for the passage of tougher food safety legislation.

The FDA, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Agriculture, other federal agencies and state health departments, is investigating the discovery of salmonella in a supply of hydrolyzed vegetable protein manufactured by Basic Food Flavors Inc. in Las Vegas

The protein is a common ingredient used most frequently as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods. The products have been recalled.

“Our investigators were able to identify this problem before any illnesses occurred,” said FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg. “While the investigation is continuing, the agency is supporting reasonable steps to continue to protect the public health.”

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said the latest outbreak demonstrated the need for tougher food safety legislation to give the FDA the tools to keep Americans’ food safe.

“[O]ur nation’s food safety system is outdated, lacks proper resources and, quite simply, does not adequately protect American consumers,” Harkin said in a statement. “We must give [the] FDA the tools to prevent a food borne illness outbreak before it happens, rather than react when it is already too late. And when food is tainted, we must provide the tools to respond quickly and protect consumers.”

Dr. Jeff Farrar, associate commissioner for food protection in the FDA’s Office of Foods, agreed.

“This situation clearly underscores the need for new food safety legislation to equip FDA with the tools we need to prevent contamination,” Farrar said in a separate statement.

Harkin said that comprehensive food safety legislation pending in both the House and in the Senate would give the FDA the tools it needs to protect the public from food borne threats.

-Kimberly Atkins

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