FDA suspends domestic food inspections during government shutdown

WASHINGTON - As the partial government shutdown nears a third week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it's been forced to suspend routine inspections of domestic food-processing facilities.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a series of tweets that the agency would continue its foreign food inspections, but it was cutting down on the number of domestic inspections to ensure the ability to continue monitoring high-risk facilities.

Those deemed high-risk include facilities dealing with canned foods, seafood, certain bakery products, dairy products, and certain cheeses as well as unpasteurized juices, fruits and vegetables, spices, infant formula, and prepared salads among other items.

Additional details are available on the Fox News website.