New, more stringent food safety rules ordered by Congress in 2010 are a step closer to reality. But it still will be at least three years before they can begin to affect the number of outbreaks, illnesses and deaths from salmonella and other food-borne pathogens.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 3,000 Americans or more die from these diseases each year, while about one in six Americans, or 48 million, gets sick, and 128,000 are hospitalized. The Food and Drug Administration indicated the new rules could prevent almost 2 million illnesses annually.

Congress gave the FDA authority to require U.S. food producers and manufacturers to draw up detailed plans to ensure the safety of their products, giving large producers three years to comply and smaller facilities and growers even longer. Lawmakers ordered the FDA to inspect production facilities more frequently. Many plants today are not checked for years at a time.

The FDA also will more closely oversee imported foods — about 15 percent of the nation’s food supply by value.

Perhaps the biggest new club given to the FDA is the ability to order recalls of food itself, rather than asking for industry cooperation. Over the years, the FDA’s weakness on this point has delayed recall action a number of times.

A major problem: Congress did not fund the legislation, and it would require an appropriation of some $1.4 billion over the next five years.

The new regulations were tailored to fit the fruits and vegetables most open to contamination, such as berries, melons, leafy greens and other foods usually eaten raw. The rules are being welcomed by many food growers and companies. Indeed, many producers are already following the protective steps laid out by the FDA.

The changes would be good for business, says Ami Gadhia of Consumers Union, because they’ll “provide a measure of security and … bad actors will be weeded out. It’s going to save business costly recalls.”

The regulations, supposed to be ready in late 2011, were held back by the Obama administration until after the 2012 election. Now that the FDA has proposed them, they will go through a public comment period and then further review before being issued, which could take a year. That means it will likely be three years or more before Americans see much effect on the number of foodrelated outbreaks of illness.

That’s not ideal, considering the number of hospitalizations and deaths, but it is definitely progress.

— Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald