ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia lawmakers are drafting a plan that would require food manufacturers to report internal inspections to state officials.
It comes a day after federal investigators in a nationwide salmonella outbreak linked to a southwest Georgia peanut butter plant said the bacteria was found during internal tests at the plant but that those records weren't shared with inspectors.
Georgia law does not require the Peanut Corp. of America plant to reveal the results of the tests, but state Rep. Tom McCall said Wednesday that is a loophole they aim to close soon. The Republican chairs the House Agriculture Committee.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin also says his department will focus more on food safety inspections and less on other duties, such as monitoring out-of-date foods.
