Traceability / FSMA / FDA
In September 2020, the FDA released a long awaited proposed rule update to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) section 204. This week the period for public comments on the rule officially closed, marking a deadline for organizations and businesses to provide feedback and guidance on the drafted record keeping requirements. Read an abridged version of FoodLogiQ's comments on the traceability rule below.
There has been a lot of chatter within the food industry about the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Smarter Food Safety and the complex forthcoming FDA requirements that will fall under the umbrella of traceability regulation. It’s more important than ever to be gaining understanding around the key concepts driving food safety innovation and the next wave of recordkeeping requirements. For those looking to get a cursory understanding of the current landscape, FoodLogiQ has gathered key resources for understanding the state of FSMA and Traceability in 2021.
Capturing and storing the right supply chain event data can help companies visualize their entire supply chain and achieve tech-enabled traceability. Stitching together product and ingredient events at the batch-lot level can increase transparency, reduce time to locate tainted products and minimize waste from withdrawals and product extractions.
Participants in the global food system need to speak the same language in order to reap these benefits. And, in recognition of this need, efforts are being made across the industry to build connections between stakeholders to enable interoperability, while standards bodies and regulators are also seeking to normalize food traceability data elements and practices. Understanding food traceability events is the key to understanding where the industry is headed in terms of supply chain modernization and transparency, specifically the evolution of two key concepts: Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) and Key Data Elements (KDEs).
The FDA has formally released the proposed traceability rule for FSMA section 204. Learn how the drafted legislation may apply to your own food safety, data and product tracing programs.
On September 21, 2020 the FDA released a long awaited proposed rule to achieve farm-to-table traceability in the food system. The drafted legislation falls under section 204 of the landmark Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011, and signals a major milestone for the agency’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative to accelerate transparency and consumer protection innovation within the food industry. Learn what requirements your business may become liable to, proposed timing of compliance dates and how to take the first steps to ensure your team is prepared to evolve with more advanced industry requirements. The full 55 page document will be available until January 21, 2021 for public comments and recommendations.
The FDA has published the 2020 Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan to combat foodborne illness and outbreaks caused by leafy greens.
The leafy green industry has fallen under intense scrutiny in recent years due to outbreaks like the 2018 romaine lettuce recall and the romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak of 2019. Between 2009 and 2018 alone, the FDA stated they have identified “40 foodborne outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections in the U.S. with a confirmed or suspected link to leafy greens.” The impact of these outbreaks on both public health and food businesses has surfaced persistent vulnerabilities in the leafy greens industry’s food safety practices, which investigations found to be compounded by poor visibility into a complex supply chain.
