In a June 8th blog, NPR goes for the FDA’s gullet by citing a recent report:

The Food and Drug Administration lacks a plan to assess risks posed by certain foods, doesn’t prioritize surveillance and research, and is putting the public’s trust on the line, according to a report released by the Institute of Medicine this morning.

Basically, the FDA doesn’t have enough money or power to get the job safely done.  And it is the only agency/authority over food safety; there are no alternatives.  Sometimes I think this is some serious whining, but the stats remind me:

The cost to consumers when the unsafe stuff hits the grocery store shelves? About $150 billion a year, plus 300,000 hospitalizations, and about 5,000 deaths.

So what’s the clear solution?  Competing agencies and the subsequent lobbyists, then the pick of the litter?