With a public meeting and a webinar, the FDA plans to gather input on the plan for it’s “New Era of Smarter Food Safety” and explain how a new program will help defend against acts of food-related terrorism.

Both events are scheduled in October.

The public meeting about the new approach to food safety that the Food and Drug Administration is developing is set for Oct. 21. There are specific deadlines for signing up to speak at the meeting and to submit written comments.

“The input received at this meeting, and in comments submitted to the accompanying Federal Register docket, will help shape an FDA Blueprint for a New Era of Smarter Food Safety. We intend for the strategic plan to outline how this new approach will address public health challenges, including being able to trace sources of contaminated foods and using new predictive analytics tools like artificial intelligence to assess risks and prioritize the agency’s work and resources,” according to the FDA”s announcement about the meeting.

“FDA is working toward enhancing its ongoing efforts to implement the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) by creating a more digital, traceable, and safer system to help protect consumers from contaminated food.”

The public meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. It will include breakout sessions on key topics that include traceability, smarter tools for prevention, evolving business models and retail food safety, and food safety culture.

Attendees can also participate via a live webcast by registering online. For more information about the meeting, as well as instructions on registration and requests to make an oral presentation, see the Federal Register Notice announcing the meeting.

Deadlines related to the public meeting are:

  • Oct. 2 for requests to make an oral comment;
  • Oct. 2 for requests for special accommodations due to disability;
  • Oct. 11 advanced registration closing date; and
  • Nov. 20 las day to submit written/electronic comments.

You may submit written/electronic comments starting September 18, 2019. Submit comments electronically on https://www.regulations.gov/ to docket folder FDA-2019-N-4187. See the Federal Register Notice for additional information on commenting.

Webinar on the Updated Food Defense Plan Builder
The updated FDPB has been aligned with the requirements in the Intentional Adulteration (IA) rule so that it can be used to easily create food defense plans and support compliance with the rule.

The IA rule was developed to address hazards that may be intentionally introduced to foods, including by acts of terrorism, with the intent to cause widespread harm to public health.

The Oct. 10 session is on intentional adulteration related to the FDA’s updated Food Defense Plan Builder, which was released on Sept. 19.

  • Title: Updated Food Defense Plan Builder
  • Date: Thursday, October 10, 2019
  • Time: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT

Registration is required to attend the webinar. After registering for the webinar, you will be sent the webinar link as well as a pre-recorded Food Defense Plan Builder v. 2.0 demonstration video to view prior to the webinar.

Agenda

  1. Welcome and Introductions
  2. Janesia Robbs, Communication and Public Engagement Staff, CFSAN, FDA
  3. Food Defense Plan Builder Demo
  4. Julia Guenther, Policy Analyst, Food Defense and Emergency Coordination Staff, CFSAN, FDA
  5. Questions
  6. Janesia Robbs, Communication and Public Engagement Staff, CFSAN, FDA (Moderator)

Additional Information

A recording will be made available after the webinar.

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