LA Times: (reg. req'd.)
Seeking ways to ensure that pet food is safe, a Senate subcommittee plans to question Food and Drug Administration officials as soon as Thursday about their response to the contamination that has killed pets and led to the recall of more than 100 brands.
On Saturday, Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), a leading advocate of improving food safety, criticized the federal inspection process for both human and pet food. "The system is broken-down," he said.[..]
He also said he would like to see federal law changed to allow the FDA to order a recall of food intended for human or pet consumption rather than rely on companies to do it voluntarily.[..]
The FDA has confirmed about 15 animal deaths from poisoning - although the number could be much higher. The agency has received more than 12,000 reports of illnesses in the three weeks since the recall - more than twice the number they normally receive in a year.
