We have been monitoring the relationships between food processors and regulators for a number of years. Our attention to this topic started with the implementation of FSMA to watch the evolution of the FDA's enforcement posture, as well as inspection and sampling procedures related to the new requirements. Now that the FDA has resumed its regular in-person inspections, we asked processors: (1) whether they have had an inspection so far in 2022 and, if so, did FDA collect any samples; (2) now that processors are seeing inspectors again, do they still agree that FDA "educates before it regulates"; and (3) with their experiences from recent and previous inspections, what do processors wish that regulators understood better? This column presents answers from more than 300 food processors in every category on these and related regulatory questions.
During foodborne illness outbreak investigations, public health and regulatory authorities collect three types of data to determine a common food consumed by ill people: epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory. State and local partners work with FDA to conduct traceback investigations and examine the food supply chain to determine the origin of the foods identified by the epidemiologic investigations. This article looks at the benefits of using incident command system (ICS) principles during emergency response coordination activities for foodborne illness outbreaks, with input from members of the FDA's CORE Network.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk with Kimberly (Kim) Livsey about the interworking of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) investigations of and responses to food safety incidents and foodborne illness outbreaks through the Incident Command System and Incident Management Teams (IMTs). Kim is a Senior Emergency Response Coordinator in FDA's Office of Regulatory Affairs' Office of Human and Animal Food Operations who has led a number of IMTs, including for a recent, high-profile foodborne illness outbreak.
On October 27, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold an informational webinar discussing the new Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods program.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Environmental Health (CDC’s NCEH) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that formalizes a partnership between the agencies for the purpose of reducing foodborne illness hazards in food retail and foodservice establishments.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will continue providing flexibility to infant formula manufacturers under certain conditions in an effort to stabilize U.S. product supplies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will air an upcoming TechTalk Podcast episode focusing on some of the agency’s efforts under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety; specifically, the Office of Regulatory Affairs Data Exchange.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a document that provides an overview of the agency’s ongoing efforts to advance the safety of produce imported into the U.S.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced two new food safety prevention strategies intended to help prevent outbreaks of foodborne salmonellosis and listeriosis associated with imported enoki and wood ear mushrooms, and salmonellosis associated with bulb onions.
In July 2022, FDA unveiled an enhanced Enforcement Report Subscription Service for recalls that allows users, including industry and consumers, the option to receive notifications of new and updated recalls of FDA-regulated products posted to the application using custom keywords.