According to the US (GAO), the food control system in America "is fragmented, which causes the food oversight to be inconsistent, ineffective coordination and use of resources is inefficient."

It is that the federal agencies charged with controlling food safety are divided into several areas. Preparation for the food and agricultural emergencies is responsible for more than nine departments. The main bodies concerned are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which is responsible for ensuring the safety of most food, and the Food Security Inspection (FSIS), an entity that deals with controlling the meat, poultry and processed egg products.

As part of the fragmentation of responsibilities, the GAO presents the case of the egg production industry, which is controlled by five federal agencies. This resulted in more than 500 million eggs contaminated with Salmonella were found in 2010.

The report argues that there are three major trends in the United States on food: a large part of the food supply is imported; consumers increasingly eat more raw foods and minimally processed foods; and the population is increasingly susceptible to foodborne illness.

In this context, it is clear that food in America is part of the public agenda because of the problems of obesity which concerns a large part of the population. Meals typically used high fructose corn syrup as the primary sweetener in place of sugar. This ingredient is present in foods and beverages prepared such as bread, cereals, meats, yogurts, soups and dressings.

What Was Done and What Not

The GAO recommended that one of the measures to help reduce fragmentation was for President Barack Obama to convene the Council for Food Safety. According to the report, in 2009 the President demonstrated a strong commitment by the Working Group on Food Security to coordinate federal efforts and develop goals to make food safe.

While these actions are encouraging, they are only the first steps. The US audit says that "federal agencies charged with controlling food safety are not yet using a plan that includes goal oriented performances."

Another observation is that GAO Presidential Directive-9 National Security (HSPD-9), created in 2004 to protect the citizen of a food and agricultural crisis, "has no centralized supervision."

HSPD-9 was assigned to more than nine federal agencies different responsibilities to act in case of emergency food. But without central coordination, the government cannot guarantee the efficiency of the efforts of the agencies.

What Remains To Be Done

According to US control body, the Executive Branch must develop a plan for government-wide performance targets including results-oriented performance. The President also must develop strategies and resources to guide corrective actions and monitor progress.

High Risk

The agencies that make up the food system entered the list of "high risk" of the US (GAO). What does being on this list mean? It means it is an institution that the US control agency considers it to be subject to vulnerabilities such as fraud, waste, abuse or mismanagement and, therefore, are those who have the greatest need of transformation.