FDA Commissioner Calls for More Enforcement Power After Egg Recall

WASHINGTON -- The head of the Food and Drug Administration says her agency is taking the massive egg recall "very, very seriously," but needs more enforcement powers.

Appearing on morning news shows, Margaret Hamburg urged passage of legislation giving federal regulators significantly more authority to intervene when food safety problems arise.

Hamburg called for more investigative tools in the wake of some 1,300 salmonella poisonings and the recall of around a half-billion eggs distributed by two Iowa farms. She advised consumers to cook eggs well and avoid the over-easy style, saying there should be "no more runny egg yolks for mopping up with toast."

Hamburg appeared Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America," NBC's "Today" show and CBS's "The Early Show."