Breaking News: Senate Passes Food Safety Bill

AP reports that the U.S. Senate passed a food safety bill that would give the government broad, new power to inspect food processing facilities and force companies to recall tainted products.

The proposal includes these key elements:

--Allow the FDA to order a recall of tainted foods. Currently the agency can only negotiate with businesses to order voluntary recalls

--Require larger food processors and manufacturers to register with the Food and Drug Administration and create detailed food safety plans

--Require the FDA to create new produce safety regulations for producers of the highest-risk fruits and vegetables

--Establish stricter standards for the safety of imported food

--Increase inspections of domestic and foreign food facilities, directing the most resources to those operations with the highest risk profiles

Now, the different versions of the bill passed by the House and Senate must, somehow, be reconciled for it to become law.