Some would say that one of the benefits of an increasingly globalized economy is that we get a taste of different parts of the world in our everyday lives. When it comes to the food on our tables, this concept can be taken quite literally. From seafood and meats, to fruits and vegetables, to processed foods — a meal in an average American household can come from numerous countries around the world.

But our country's increased dependence on food imports is dangerous, as was made abundantly clear during the ongoing pet food scare. Not every country has safety standards on par with the United States. And in 2006, only 1.3 percent of the 8.9 million imported shipments of food for human consumption were inspected by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

This is a recipe for disaster.

As the number of food imports continues to grow, the federal government has fallen dangerously behind in putting safeguards in place to keep tainted foods from reaching our grocery stores. Lack of funding for the FDA and a flawed regulatory system have created major holes in our safety net.

The federal government must overhaul its regulatory approaches to food imports. And in the interest of public health and safety, it must be done now.

Let's start with China. The 14 pet deaths were connected to wheat gluten from China that contained melamine and cyanuric acid. These same chemicals were found in protein ingredients used in human food, such as bread and veggie burgers.

Just last month, as a result of the scare, the FDA decided to inspect a list of food imports from China that would ordinarily forego inspection. Among the troubling list of findings: frozen catfish tainted with illegal veterinary drugs, fresh ginger contaminated with pesticides and melon seeds containing cancer-causing toxins.

And that was just a random check. What of the majority of imports that aren't inspected?

Food imports from China soared to $2.26 billion in 2006, and the FDA has barely enough inspectors to monitor a tiny percentage of what reaches our store shelves and, ultimately, our tables.

But China isn't even the largest food exporter to the United States. The European Union, Canada and Mexico remain the leading exporters, and the booming business of food imports isn't about to slow down. According to the Associated Press, U.S. food makers more than doubled their business with low-cost countries such as Mexico, China and India.

Farmers in these countries use fertilizers and pesticides far more than in the U.S. — some of which are banned in this country. In China, water used in the manufacturing process is often contaminated with chemicals and heavy metals. Yet the FDA rarely inspects overseas processing conditions. Equally troubling is that it's almost impossible for the FDA to trace which ingredients come from which plants — that is why officials have spent so much time tracking down the source of the melamine that contaminated the pet food.

After Sept. 11, the FDA developed a plan to guard the U.S. food supply against tainted imports. That was six years ago, and it has since fallen to the wayside. There is, however, a bill before Congress that would effectively overhaul our food safety regulations.

The Safe Food Act, introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., would put all food safety responsibilities under one organization, the Food Safety Administrator. The bill includes a "traceback" provision, giving the new agency recall authority, and requires more frequent inspections.

In addition, the bill would give the new chief a unified budget. Currently, the government's food safety resources are not equally split between the USDA, which regulates only 20 percent of the nation's food supply, and the FDA, which regulates the rest.

Among its most crucial mandates, the bill would require that food imports come from countries that have food safety standards that, at the very least, are on par with those of the United States.

Cheap labor and low prices are the driving forces behind the surge in food imports. But we get what we pay for. And, ultimately, American consumers will pay the price if our government continues to cut corners when it comes to safeguarding our food supply. It's time for Congress and the FDA to realize just how vulnerable we all are.