Low Inspection Rates Leave Imported Produce Unchecked in America

Federal regulators rarely inspect foreign facilities importing fruits and vegetables, exposing a major food safety blind spot.

A fresh investigation reveals that federal regulators inspect only a tiny fraction of foreign facilities supplying fruits and vegetables to the United States. This oversight gap leaves millions of tons of imported food entering the domestic market without safety checks. Experts warn this vulnerability persists despite recent foodborne illness outbreaks linked to contaminated produce.

• The figuresFederal regulators examined just 7.6% of overseas facilities producing fruits and vegetables over the past decade.
• The contextThe findings follow a summer disease outbreak tied to food safety failures in imported items.