FDA to spend $2.5B on technology upgrade

The announcement comes after a year when the FDA has been criticized for its handling of a salmonella outbreak that implicated peppers and tomatoes. The ultimate source of the outbreak may never be known, regulators said, partly because of shortcomings in the nation's food safety system.

The funds will be awarded over the next decade to 10 contractors, including General Dynamics Corp., Computer Sciences Corp. and Unisys Corp. The companies will compete for various tasks as the agency transfers its data tracking operations to two new systems.

"We are creating a high-tech, efficient, data management system designed to meet the needs of those who must accomplish our mission--protecting and promoting the health of the American public," FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said in a statement.