FDA struggles to keep food safe; FTC questions Kellogg's health claims

Here's a roundup of some noteworthy food news:

Associated Press:Â "Report says FDA struggles to keep food safe." A new report, released by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, finds that the Food and Drug Administration isn't doing enough to keep food safe for American consumers:

"Robert Wallace, chairman of the committee that authored the report, said the FDA is too often reactive and not focused enough on prevention. The report recommends the agency focus on preventing outbreaks in the riskiest foods rather than tackling problems on a case-by-case basis."

The Atlantic: "A Chemical Arms Race, and Bogus Health Claims." Food writer Barry Estabrook discusses the rise of "superweeds" and the new generation of genetically engineered crops being designed to withstand the much more toxic pesticides that will be required to treat the weeds.

In the same article, Estabrook reports that the FTC has released aÂ press releaseÂ castigating Kellogg for making false health claims in advertising for Rice Crispies cereal.

BBC News:Â "Blight-resistant GM potatoes field trial begins."Â The Sainsbury Laboratory in Great Britain is launching a three-year trial of a genetically modified potatoes that are resistant to a fungus called "late blight."

At the current time,Â there are no commercially cultivated genetically modified foods in the U.K., but new environmental secretary Caroline Spelman believes that genetically engineered foods have a place in the British food supplyÂ "under the right circumstances."

Food in the News will appear weekly in the Food & Drink section. Have a story link you'd like to share? EmailÂ jessicawebster@annarbor.com.Â