FDA Highlights Progress in Implementing FSMA for July - September 2012
The Food and Drug Administration updated its Progress Report on Implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for July through September 2012. According to the report, progress was made in the following areas:
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July 2012
Webcast on international capacity building. In June, FDA held a public meeting to discuss FDA's plan to expand the technical, scientific, and regulatory capacity of foreign governments and their respective food industries in countries that export foods to the United States. The transcript and archived webcast of the meeting are now available here.
August 2012
Report to Congress on food facilities, imports and FDA foreign offices. On Aug. 15, FDA said the second Annual Report on Food Facilities, Food Imports and FDA Foreign Offices was submitted to Congress by Heath and Human Services Secretary Sebelius. The report, available here, briefly describes the scope of FDA’s responsibility and its activities in protecting the U.S. food supply under its jurisdiction.
FDA updates guidance on Food Facility Registration. On Aug. 14, FDA released an updated guidance, Draft Guidance for Industry: Necessity of the Use of Food Categories in Food Facility Registrations and Updates to Food Categories (here), to propose additional food categories to be included in the food facility registration form as mandatory fields, including food categories currently in the form as optional fields.
FSMA Domestic and Foreign Facility Reinspection, Recall and Importer Reinspection Fees for FY 2013. On Aug. 1, FDA announced the availability of the FSMA domestic and foreign facility reinspection, recall and importer reinspection fee rates (here). These fees were effective on Oct. 1, 2012, and will remain in effect through September 30, 2013.
September 2012
Deputy Commissioner for Foods speaks on progress of FSMA implementation. On Sept. 11, Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor delivered remarks at the 2012 FDA Science Writers Symposium (here) on the topic of food safety. Specifically, he addressed progress in implementing the FSMA, including new strategies for how FDA will work internally and with our stakeholders and partners to achieve the law’s goals.