America’s Food Safety Under Pressure as Imported Produce Surges and FDA Inspections Fall Behind 

America’s growing dependence on imported fruits and vegetables is exposing significant weaknesses in the country’s food safety oversight system, as federal inspections struggle to keep pace with the expanding international supply of fresh produce.

An investigation by The Washington Post found that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has inspected only 7.6% of major foreign facilities supplying fresh produce to the United States since 2009, raising concerns about the government’s ability to identify contamination risks before food reaches American consumers.

The findings come after major foodborne illness outbreaks that have sickened thousands of people and renewed questions about federal oversight. Imported fruits and vegetables have become increasingly important to American households. Approximately 59% of fresh fruit and 34% of fresh vegetables consumed in the United States now come from foreign suppliers.

Two decades ago, those figures were roughly 46% and 17%, respectively. Mexico has emerged as the country’s largest source of imported produce, with shipments increasing more than fourfold over the past 20 years. Last year, Mexican produce exports to the United States exceeded $16 billion.

These imports provide American consumers with year-round access to berries, peppers, lettuce and other fresh foods. However, the rapid expansion of international agricultural trade has created challenges for regulators responsible for monitoring growing conditions, processing facilities and potential contamination. Data shows federal import and inspection records covering overseas facilities responsible for 90% of fresh produce shipments to the United States.

The  investigation found that fewer than 8% of those facilities had received an FDA inspection since 2009. The gap was particularly pronounced in Mexico, where only approximately 2% of produce-exporting facilities had been inspected.

Among thousands of major Mexican berry suppliers, federal inspectors had visited only a small fraction. The findings highlight the difficulty of supervising a global food supply through physical inspections alone.

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 established an annual target of 19,200 foreign food inspections. Yet the FDA completed only 1,024 inspections in 2025, approximately 5% of that target. The inspection shortfall has attracted renewed attention following serious outbreaks involving imported produce.

During the summer of 2026, contaminated iceberg lettuce linked to Mexican operations was associated with a widespread outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic intestinal infection. Federal health authorities recorded 12,883 illnesses across 21 states, with at least 570 hospitalizations and two associated deaths.

Investigators linked the outbreak to lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The FDA had not inspected the company’s Mexican operations for approximately seven years before the outbreak.

Another outbreak involving Salmonella-contaminated jalapeño peppers sickened nearly 500 people. Federal officials did not inspect the suspected growing facility because of security concerns in the region. Mexican authorities have disputed whether the available evidence conclusively establishes that the outbreaks originated in Mexico.

These incidents illustrate the challenges of identifying contamination across international supply chains. Former FDA officials and food safety advocates point to chronic understaffing, limited funding and the high cost of international inspections.

Each foreign inspection costs approximately $38,700 on average. Travel restrictions, security concerns and logistical difficulties can further complicate investigations.

Staff reductions affecting administrative and travel operations in 2025 also created additional challenges. However, inspection shortfalls existed long before those reductions.

FDA officials emphasize that physical inspections represent only one part of their oversight strategy. The agency also reviews importer records, tests food shipments at the border and cooperates with international regulators. It is increasingly exploring artificial intelligence to identify higher-risk facilities and prioritize investigations.

The FDA has requested an additional $9 million from Congress to expand foreign inspections. Officials are also seeking authority to collect fees from overseas food facilities, potentially generating another $71 million for regulatory activities.

Food safety advocates support stronger oversight but emphasize that preventing contamination requires coordinated action from growers, importers, governments and food processors.

Industry representatives argue that imported food is already subject to American safety requirements and that international cooperation remains essential. The debate is therefore not simply about increasing inspections but determining how limited resources can most effectively prevent dangerous outbreaks.

As imported produce becomes a permanent feature of American diets, strengthening food safety oversight will be essential to protecting public health and maintaining consumer confidence in the nation’s food supply.