On November 15, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its final rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule) under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204(d). The Food Traceability Final Rule is designed to facilitate faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and associated deaths. Additionally, FDA held a briefing following the issuance of the final rule, which provided additional details and addressed stakeholder questions.
The compliance date for all operations subject to the recordkeeping requirements of the Food Traceability Final Rule is Tuesday, January 20, 2026. In its briefing, FDA clarified that no records will be requested prior to the compliance date, and that the agency will engage in stakeholder outreach, technical support, and education prior to and after January 20, 2026. FDA will provide similar support and translations of the final rule and relevant communications for foreign trading partners as well.