Research Project – Food Safety
BUS 642
Dr. Hennefer
Due March 16, 2015

Free trade has created an urgency to monitor imports of many kinds, however, none more so than food products being consumed in great quantities by Americans. According to figures consumption of imported food products makes up 15% of all food consumption in the United States. Under current law countries of the foods origins must comply with existing regulations set forth by the FDA, however, they may do so according to their own methods. I find a need to conduct research into food safety for many reasons, such as, “although food safety risks from imports are similar to the kind and extent of risks from domestic producers, the United States has less food safety oversight over imports, which are increasingly from developing countries” (Hemphill, 2007, p. 156). The danger is very real to the American people whom must trust in these other countries that safety is as high a priority that it is for agencies such as the FDA. Food borne illness comes with tremendous risk, even death, surly this knowledge alone creates tremendous need for further research. (Hemphill, 2007). The biggest dilemma for any businesses management is whether to risk the sale of imported food goods given the current standards of safety. This research hopes to identify a solution presented by current food import safety rules, “business researchers identify a concern and then work to address it through research” (Landrum, 2014, p. 4.5). Free trade between countries has opened many new doors, both positive and negative, for the American consumer, however, as with any new process there will exist areas to be refined. As it now stands businesses are responsible for any goods sold to the consumer, this ultimately places the business responsible for any injuries resulting from tainted imported food products. This