Knowing the government’s increased focus on food safety means companies must continually be audit ready with program sustainability as a focus for management and employees alike. Commitment to food safety and a sound preparation plan is key for facilities as they navigate through the increasing food safety regulatory oversight.
If anything is more complicated than our food, it’s our government’s system for checking its safety, describes an LA Times editorial, supporting the recent proposal to create a single, unified Food Safety Administration.
FDA, CDC and the USDA’s FSIS have jointly released a report on the new method for analyzing outbreak data to identify better foods that are responsible for illness related to four major foodborne bacteria.
FSMA sets the bar higher for retailers of private label foods in the key areas of food safety record keeping and documentation, traceability/recall programs, upgrading from HACCP to HARPC, and implementing a verifiable supply chain management program.
Whether it’s determining exactly which rules apply to you, migrating from HACCP to HARPC, or preparing for and dealing with increasing volumes of data and documents, here’s a list of the most critical FSMA challenges. Expert’s advice? Start preparing now for compliance.
GMOs, FSMA and menu labeling are all hot topics right now in the world of food policy and regulation. To further discuss the latest updates,TraceGains’ Chelsey Davis sat down with Baylen J. Linnekin, Executive Director for Keep Food Legal, Adjunct Professor at George Mason School of Law, and Columnist at Reason, to explore his take on a few of these key issues.
Hamburg, one of the longest-serving FDA commissioners in the modern era, told Reuters in an interview that her decision was prompted by the heavy demands of the job and the sheer length of time she has held the position.
In an FDA blog, the Deputy Commissioner for Foods describes that work must be done right now to ensure that FSMA rules are implemented smoothly and effectively in late 2016 and 2017, and lists several areas in need of additional funding that, through FSMA, will transform the food safety system into one that prevents hazards instead of just responding to them.
Undeclared allergens are the cause of a great number of recalls in the United States, causing significant consumer health issues, scrap costs, and sourcing conundrums. Under FSMA, good manufacturing practices are undergoing revisions, and the one area that has gotten the most attention is allergen control.
The agency makes a case for immediate investments now, and sustained funding in future years, explaining that there is a risk of delayed, uneven, and potentially disruptive implementation of FSMA, to the detriment of public health and the food industry.
