It is no secret that there has been significant media exposure, public health impact and decrease in consumer confidence in recent years due to some significant food safety incidents.

Prerequisite programs are absolutely essential for ensuring food safety, as they form the base of a food safety program.

Good Agricultural Practices comprise a prerequisite program that can be used to manage food safety risks in the field and during transport to packing environments.

As food safety programs nationwide continue to change to adapt to the ever-moving world of protecting our food supply, the process must continue to improve.

The Food Safety Modernization Act builds on existing law, instead of creating or replacing old laws, expaning inspectors’ powers to evaluate hazards countless products.

The Food Safety Modernization Act mentions that finished product testing will be part of the food safety system.

The Reportable Food Registry has become an effective addition to the range of tools FDA has to prevent foodborne illness and protect public health.

It is generally understood and accepted by food safety scientists that it is impossible to achieve food safety by testing or inspecting finished products.

Transparency among regulatory bodies, scientists and industry will continue to be of paramount importance as food safety controls and HACCP systems evolve for meat safety.

The Food Safety Modernization Act is designed to revamp food production safety standards and renew consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply.