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.
