On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released its draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed produce safety rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act. The statement considers the four areas in the proposed rule that could significantly affect the environment: the definition of covered farms, water quality standards, the use of raw manure and compost, and provisions affecting domesticated and wild animals. The water standards were found to potentially have a significant adverse environmental impact, but FDA noted that most farms would not need to switch from surface water to groundwater or chemically treat their water because of a provision in the rule’s supplemental changes which would allow time for potentially dangerous microbes in agricultural water to die off. “There are critical groundwater shortages in certain parts of the country that would exist even if this proposed rule were not enacted,” the agency said in a Constituent Update. “Actions that may lead to increases in groundwater drawdown in parts of the country experiencing severe shortages would be considered a significant environmental impact.” A comment period of 60 days has opened for the draft EIS. Comments will be accepted until Friday, March 13, and the agency said it does not plan to extend the comment period. FDA will also hold a public meeting on the EIS on Tuesday, Feb. 10, in College Park, MD. The agency will consider public comments while drafting the final EIS and evaluate the potential alternatives it presents before finalizing the produce safety rule.
The News Desk team at Food Safety News covers breaking developments, regulatory updates, recalls, and key topics shaping food safety today. These articles are produced collaboratively by our editorial staff.
The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed.
Recent
The Food and Drug Administration has named Donna Garren as the new director for its office of produce safety.
The office is housed in the FDA’s office of microbiology
California has become the first state to standardize sell-by dates on food labels.
The law was touted as a way to decrease food waste in the state, but it
The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed.
Recent
Fayus Inc., doing business as Yusol International Foods of Sacramento, CA, is recalling OLA-OLA POUNDED YAM because the product may contain undeclared milk in the form of sodium caseinate,
Eunha Fisheries Co. Ltd. of Busan, Republic of Korea, is recalling certain Sliced Korean Halibut and Flounder Sashimi products because the accompanying soy sauce and vinegar red pepper paste packets
Gellert Global Group of Elizabeth, NJ, is recalling 8.1 oz packages of ALDI Brand Fusia Asian Inspirations Kimchi & Tofu Kimbap because they may contain undeclared tuna.
People who
