The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the biggest overhaul to food safety in 70 years, will change some aspects of how the food and beverage (f&b) supply chain operates. The April Food Logistics examines how the law is expected to affect the food supply chain and what adjustments the supply chain industry would like to see in the law.
Among the most significant changes under FSMA is the shift towards preventing problems rather than reacting to them after they occur. The FSMA gives the FDA new enforcement authority to achieve higher rates of compliance with prevention- and risk-based food safety standards and to better respond to and contain problems when they occur. The law also gives the FDA new tools to hold imported foods to the same standards as domestic foods and directs the FDA to build an integrated national food safety system in partnership with state and local authorities.
The FSMA contains seven separate sets of standards: produce safety, preventive controls for human food, preventive controls for animal food, foreign supplier verification for imports, accreditation for third party auditors to conduct safety audits, sanitary transportation, and strategies to prevent intentional adulteration.
After a review of public comments in September 2014, FDA released “supplemental notices of proposed rulemaking” that propose modifications to the original proposed rules. FDA accepted comments on the issues raised in the supplemental notices until Dec. 15, 2014. Under a court order, FDA is required to issue the final rules in 2015.
To read the full article, click HERE.
