FDA IMPLEMENTS NEW IMPORT FOOD SAFETY RULES

The Food and Drug Administration has issued new rules establishing enforceable safety standards for produce farms to prevent foodborne illness and make importers accountable for verifying that imported food meets U.S. safety standards.

Under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, food importers must verify that foreign suppliers are producing food in a manner consistent with U.S. safety standards and that they are achieving the same level of food safety as domestic farms and food facilities. Verification measures include conducting audits of a supplier’s facility, sampling and testing of food, or a review of the supplier’s relevant food safety records based on risks linked to the imported food and the performance of the foreign supplier.

The FDA also finalized a rule on accredited third-party certification. The FDA can require in certain circumstances that a food offered for import be accompanied by a certification from an accredited third-party certification body.

For more information, please consult: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm334115.htm