Tag Archives: third-party accreditation

Accreditation

FDA Recognizes JANAAC as an Accreditation Body Under FSMA

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Accreditation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), as an accreditation body under the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program for a period of five years.

Accreditation bodies recognized by FDA have the authority to accredit third-party certification bodies. These certification bodies, once accredited, can conduct food safety audits and issue certifications of foreign food facilities (including farms) and the foods—both human and animal—that they produce. Those certifications are required to be used by importers to establish eligibility for participation in the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program. In addition, those certifications may be used in certain circumstances where the FDA can require that imported products be certified before entering the United States.

JANAAC is being recognized as having the authority to accredit certification bodies with the ability to conduct food safety audits under the following scopes of accreditation:

  • Acidified Foods (AF)
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Juice HACCP)
  • Low-Acid Canned Foods (LACF)
  • Medicated Feed Current Good Manufacturing Practices (Medicated Feed CGMPs)
  • Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF)
  • Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF)
  • Produce Safety
  • Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Seafood HACCP)
  • Shell Eggs

For more information on the eligibility criteria for recognition, see Key Facts about the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program.

FSMA, Food Safety Tech, FDA

FSMA Update: FDA Launches Accredited Third-Party Certification Site

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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FSMA, Food Safety Tech, FDA

On Wednesday FDA launched a website where organizations can apply to be recognized as a third-party accreditation body. The certifications are used either to establish eligibility to participate in the voluntary qualified importer program, which provides expedited review and entry of food for eligible participants, or in circumstances in which FDA requires an imported food to be certified to keep potentially harmful food from entering the United States.

“Accredited Third-Party Certification is a voluntary program in which FDA recognizes ‘accreditation bodies’ that will have the responsibility of accrediting third-party ‘certification bodies’. The certification bodies will conduct food safety audits and issue certifications of foreign food facilities.” – FDA

Organizations can fill out a program application on FDA’s website.

Ask the FDA: Recognizing Third Party Accreditation Bodies

Stephen Ostroff, 2016 Food Safety Consortium

Ask the FDA: Recognizing Third Party Accreditation Bodies

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Stephen Ostroff, 2016 Food Safety Consortium

READ: The Multi-Step Process of Third-Party Accreditation Stephen Ostroff, M.D. will keynote at the 2017 Food Safety Consortium on November 29 | Learn moreDuring a Town Hall at the 2016 Food Safety Consortium, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Stephen Ostroff, M.D. answers an attendee’s question about the agency’s guidance, Third-Party Certification Body Accreditation for Food Safety Audits: Model Accreditation Standards and what progress FDA has made in recognizing accreditation bodies.

FDA

FDA Issues Final Rule on FSMA Third-Party Certification User Fee Program

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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FDA

This week FDA issued a final rule that provides for a user fee program to evaluate fees and require reimbursement for work that FDA performs to establish and administer the third-party certification program. The rule, “Amendments to Accreditation of Third-Party Certification Bodies To Conduct Food Safety Audits and To Issue Certifications To Provide for the User Fee Program”, is effective January 13, 2017.

FDA also announced its fiscal year 2017 fee rate for accreditation bodies that are applying to be recognized by the third-party certification program. The fee will remain in effect through September 30, 2017.

FSMA Update: FDA Submits Final Produce, FSVP, and Third-Party Accreditation Rules

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Industry awaits Federal Register publication.

Today FDA announced that it submitted the final FSMA rules for produce safety, foreign supplier verification and third-party accreditation rules. As we await final publication by the Federal Register, here’s a look back at some of Food Safety Tech’s recent coverage related to FSMA issues:

Is your supplier program aligned with new FSMA rules?

The Real Cost of Not Having an Effective Food Safety Management System

How Does SQF Certification Prepare You for Better FSMA Compliance?

FDA Awards $600,000 for FSMA Training Center

Not to miss event this month: FDA to Weigh In on FSMA Enforcement at Food Safety Consortium