Food safety network up for overhaul

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- Several U.S. lawmakers are proposing a new federal agency to oversee all food safety in the United States.

"I believe the food safety system is broken. It's collapsing," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said.

The Food Safety Act of 2007, introduced in the House and Senate, would create a Food Safety Administration, CNN said Thursday.

There currently are 12 federal agencies and 35 laws governing food safety.

The Government Accountability Office this year added federal oversight of food safety to its list of "high-risk" programs in need of "broad-based transformation," CNN said.

The Centers for Disease Control said there are 76 million incidents of food poisoning each year.