Among the ambitious legislative targets for 2009 was food safety reform after unprecedented outbreaks and product recalls in recent years. However, since the House and Senate passed respective bills that would grant the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") greater oversight powers, lawmakers have been silent as health care, military and economic issues have taken precedence.

This week's announcement by the United States Department of Agriculture ("USDA") that 864,000 pounds of beef had been recalled by Montebello, California-based Huntington Meats due to suspected E. coli contamination brought food safety back into the political limelight.

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn) joined consumer groups pushing President Barack Obama to appoint an undersecretary for food safety at the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service ("FSIS").

"While any food safety recall is a major concern to me, this one is especially alarming as some of the products included were produced almost two years ago," DeLauro said in a statement. "This is a glaring indication that the current inspection system for meat and poultry is inherently flawed and not sufficient to protect the public health."

Representative DeLauro's sentiments echo familiar concerns by consumers tired of wondering whether the food they eat will sicken their family. A current proposal calls for the screening of all ground beef products for E. coli bacteria. However, the meat and poultry industry have attacked those ideas citing the importance of cooking all meat and poultry to proper temperatures to kill pathogens.

Given dimming public support for health care legislation and continuing economic woes, Congress may want to tackle food safety, a likely bipartisan issue that will resonate with voters.

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