Global Food Safety: Exploring Key Elements for an International Regulatory Strategy

Abstract

Despite legal discourse on the facilitation of food trade, the role of international law in regulating food safety has not been satisfactorily addressed. This is particularly troubling when the organizations that are currently responsible for policing food safety - such as the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission - leave considerable regulatory gaps in this area. Recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses display the need for reform. This Article will analyze the nature of the global food safety crisis against the background of economic globalization and the growing threat of foodborne diseases. In addition, it will examine the regulatory problems facing national authorities, including the United States, the European Union, and China, and international organizations, including the three mentioned above. Considering the shortfalls of the current system, this Article endeavors to identify key elements that will improve the international governance strategy for food safety.

Keywords: Food Safety, Global Governance, Public Heath Law, WTO, WHO, Codex