The Birth of Food Safety, the FDA and CGMPs

In recent months, we've been focusing on Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs), which are the set of regulations that apply to most food processors not overseen by the USDA. These practices have also been in the spotlight lately due to potential updates driven by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). We previously published a blog post and a white paper on the subject for those interested in learning more. But did you know that many of today’s food safety regulations were actually inspired by the work of investigative journalists? These reporters, known as "muckrakers," exposed corruption in both government and business. One of the most famous among them was Upton Sinclair, who spent seven weeks working undercover in Chicago's meatpacking district. His goal was to highlight the poor working conditions faced by laborers in the industry. Sinclair’s novel, *The Jungle*, vividly described the unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants. The book shocked the American public and even caught the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt. After reading it, Roosevelt sent two advisors to investigate the claims—and their findings convinced him that Sinclair had accurately portrayed the reality of the industry. As a result, the Pure Food and Drugs Act and the Meat Inspection Act were passed in 1906. These laws marked a major turning point in federal food safety and laid the foundation for what we now know as the FDA. Though Sinclair had hoped his work would improve labor conditions, he ended up having a lasting impact on food safety. He later said, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident hit it in the stomach.” At the time, the early regulations were more focused on pharmaceuticals and product labeling, while food standards were vague. Over the next few decades, new waves of investigative journalism uncovered more gaps in consumer protection. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which was widely supported after numerous food and drug safety scandals. This was the first law to establish legally enforceable food standards, and CGMPs for food were officially introduced in 1969. Today, we’ve made significant progress in food safety since the days described by Sinclair. But with the FSMA, we may be entering another era of modernization. Do you think the proposed changes go far enough in preventing unsafe food from reaching consumers? Are there still loopholes in our current food safety laws that need addressing? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

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