THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

The FDA has proposed a series of rules that essentially require imported foods to meet US standards.

The Obama administration on Friday released long-awaited proposals aimed at ensuring that the growing amount of imported foods, which now account for about 15 percent of the nation’s food supply, meet U.S. safety standards.

The new rules, drafted by the Food and Drug Administration, were mandated by far-reaching legislation passed by Congress in late 2010. They represent one piece in a broader effort to overhaul the nation’s approach to food safety for the first time in generations by preventing contamination and illness rather than simply reacting to outbreaks.

“This is a huge paradigm shift,” Michael R. Taylor, the Food and Drug Administration’s top food-safety official, said in an interview. “It’s a very big step that we’re taking in building the food-safety system of the future. . . . We think it’s important for public health, but we also think it’s important for public confidence.”

Under the regulations proposed Friday, domestic importers for the first time would have to vouch for the food-safety practices of their overseas suppliers. The new rules also aim to improve the consistency and transparency of foreign food-safety audits, which many companies rely on to ensure the quality of their international supply chains.

The proposals come at a time when the global food system has grown more complex and interconnected than ever, and when the volume of food pouring into the United States from every corner of the world increases each year.

According to the FDA, U.S. imports come from about 150 different countries. Roughly 80 percent of the seafood, half the fresh fruits and 20 percent of the vegetables consumed in the United States come from overseas. Beef, poultry and some egg products are overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Given the Republican/Teabagger efforts to defund food inspection, these rules may be moot before they begin. And they may adversely affect some products that are sought after because they don't meet the standards. But you have to start somewhere.