FDA to Begin Export Certification Program
The Food and Drug Administration will begin a new export certification program for certain regulated food products starting Oct. 1, the agency said in an Aug. 31 news release. The program is a result of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which added foods to the list of goods the FDA will certify as meeting certain requirements, the agency said. "The FDA’s export certification program for foods is intended to be complementary to export certification for foods currently issued by other U.S. government agencies," it said. "As the FDA launches its new export certification program for foods, the arrangements currently in place for certain food commodities with other U.S. government agencies will remain the same."
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The FDA expects "that this new export certification will facilitate trade by assisting U.S. food exporters in fulfilling importing country requirements for FDA certification of FDA-regulated food products,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said. “While American food standards are among the most stringent in the world, the FDA recognizes that some U.S. trading partners seek additional assurance that imported food products are produced under applicable requirements, and may request specific language or product information on export certificates. The new export certification program will continue FDA’s efforts to help facilitate American global exports and boost our nation’s economy.”
The agency will also begin assessing fees for issuing the export certifications, FDA said in a notice. The certificates will be issued by the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, it said. Covered foods include "produce, grains, processed foods, food additives, color additives, food contact substances, generally regarded as safe ingredients, infant formula, and all other foods not specifically excluded," it said. A first certificate will cost $175, a second for the same product for the same request will be $155 and subsequent certificates for the same product for the same request will be $100, it said.
(Federal Register 09/04/18)