Posted May 8, 2014
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a strategy document that emphasizes voluntary compliance, risk-based, oversight, and expanded cooperation in the food safety community, according to an article by The Packer available here. Food Safety News also reported on the story here.
The strategy document, “Operational Strategy for Implementing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA),” is available here. In a blog post about the document, FDA’s Michael Taylor and Howard Sklamberg said the new approach will be a “springboard for discussion.” “And we know discussion is needed, because the strategy that will make FSMA a success requires significant change in how we at FDA do our work and how we work with our partners,” according to the blog post available here.
FDA’s next step will be ensuring compliance with the regulations. “The agency has to design methods to promote widespread voluntary industry compliance with the new rules, as well as establish preventive/public health-focused inspection and sampling programs to oversee compliance,” said the agency.
In addition, FDA is “developing enforcement strategies to be used when producers, processors, distributors and importers fail to comply voluntarily.”
FDA says it will use an expanded oversight authority that will allow “it to provide industry technical expertise, setting and fostering compliance with food safety standards.”
For more information on food safety, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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