Category: Regulatory Update

Regulatory Round-Up: The Seventh Year of FSMA – Are We There Yet?

With summer vacation season upon us, most people can relate to the angst of the question, “Are we there yet?”  In fact, I suspect many food industry professionals have recently pondered this question when reflecting on the regulations of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and then wondered what is “coming down the pike?”

Upon enactment of the FSMA law in January 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a few requirements immediately, but the most significant rules require years to develop.  The implementation phase of the FSMA regulations officially began two years ago with the beginning of Phase II of the FDA’s operational strategy for FSMA, which included regulator training and targeted risk-based inspection, sampling, testing and data collection activities. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: The Seventh Year of FSMA – Are We There Yet?

Regulatory Round-Up: How to Avoid “A Pound of Cure” With Evolving Nutrition and Food Labeling Rules

A well-known idiom attributed to Benjamin Franklin states, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This provides an apt analogy for the importance of proper nutrition for disease prevention in modern times. Consumers are often advised to modify their diets to prevent the progression of serious diseases. Moreover, the importance of understanding the evolving food labeling regulations cannot be underestimated for food companies seeking to prevent food product recalls and other enforcement activities related to labeling errors. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: How to Avoid “A Pound of Cure” With Evolving Nutrition and Food Labeling Rules

Regulatory Round-Up: An Update on FSMA Rules, Nutrition Labeling and PHOs

After a flood of food regulations during President Obama’s administration, the food regulatory environment in the United States could experience a drought in new regulations due to the deregulatory philosophy of the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress.

In April, President Trump signed an executive order with the objective of eliminating unnecessary “regulatory burdens” for the agricultural sector. Earlier this year, the U.S. House passed legislation (H.R. 5), referred to as the “filthy food act” by opponents, which would impede the development of new food regulations. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the bill later this month. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: An Update on FSMA Rules, Nutrition Labeling and PHOs

Regulatory Round-Up: What is a ‘Healthy’ Food? – FDA Reconsidering the Definition of ‘Healthy’

What is a “healthy” food? Should a “healthy” food contain specific levels of vitamins and minerals? Conversely, should a “healthy” food limit potentially harmful components such as saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar or sodium? Questions surrounding the definition of a “healthy” labeling claim have surged in recent years due to the rising consumer demand for nutritious foods. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: What is a ‘Healthy’ Food? – FDA Reconsidering the Definition of ‘Healthy’

Regulatory Round-Up: Keys to Preventing Undeclared Allergens and Reducing Recalls

A decade ago, allergens were an uncommon cause of meat and poultry product recalls in the United States. The proportion of meat and poultry products recalled annually due to allergens steadily increased from 8% in 2008 to 35% in 2012 due to increased awareness of the issue by inspection personnel and establishments. Moreover, the total number of recall events involving meat and poultry products due to undeclared allergens increased 103% between the calendar years 2012 and 2015. Undeclared allergens have now become the leading reason for recalls of meat and poultry products from the U.S. marketplace. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: Keys to Preventing Undeclared Allergens and Reducing Recalls

Regulatory Round-Up: Third-Party Audits, GFSI and FSMA – FDA Seeks Strategic Partnerships for Imported Foods

Questions about the role of industry standards for complying with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) have existed since the law was enacted more than six years ago. Due to the upcoming requirements for foreign supplier verification, industry stakeholders are urging the FDA to extend the compliance date, and to clarify the role of private entities for supporting compliance with the new FSMA requirements for imported food.

The role of strategic partnerships for improving the safety of imported food was the focus of a two-day FDA public hearing held last week (February 14-15, 2017). The hearing followed public meetings held last year on imported food safety, which raised questions about the role of private certification schemes and third-party audits for supporting compliance with FSMA by foreign suppliers. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: Third-Party Audits, GFSI and FSMA – FDA Seeks Strategic Partnerships for Imported Foods

Regulatory Round-Up: New Canadian Food Safety Regulations Target International Harmonization

Believe it or not, it’s been nearly five years since Canada approved its comprehensive food safety legislation known as the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA). The legislation was developed to streamline Canada’s food safety regulations, improve regulatory oversight, and increase international regulatory alignment with its key trading partners, particularly the United States. To implement the legislation, Canada recently published the proposed Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: New Canadian Food Safety Regulations Target International Harmonization

Regulatory Round-Up: Strategies for Controlling Listeria in Ready-To-Eat Foods

If you are subject to the final rule, Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF rule), then you should be aware of FDA’s new recommendations for controlling Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Manufacturers, processors, packers and holders of RTE foods will benefit from an understanding of the strategies and recommendations described within the new draft guidance.

Released this month, the draft guidance sheds light on the agency’s thinking regarding effective strategies for controlling L. monocytogenes in RTE foods, including identifying the risks associated with raw materials and ingredients, listericidal process control, environmental monitoring, product testing, and the analysis of verification data trends. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: Strategies for Controlling Listeria in Ready-To-Eat Foods

Regulatory Round-Up: FSIS Unveils Strategic Food Safety Goals

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently unveiled its five-year strategic plan for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry and processed egg products. Covering the fiscal years 2017-2021, the objectives of the Strategic Plan are classified within the core goals of preventing foodborne illness, modernizing inspection systems and scientific techniques, and improving operational excellence. Continue reading Regulatory Round-Up: FSIS Unveils Strategic Food Safety Goals