(This May 23, 2014, opinion column by Tom Karst, national editor of The Packer, is republished here with permission.) Is there any way to overcome the distinction of being tabbed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a “high-risk” food? Perhaps one fanciful marketing tack to consumers would go something like this: “Sure,…
FDA to Revise Animal Food Rule, Extends Other FSMA Comment Periods
A number of changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation timeline were announced Wednesday. First, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to publish revised language for the proposed rule on preventive controls for animal food in early summer 2014, alongside the revised produce safety and preventive controls for human food rules.…
Grain and Feed Industry Asks for FSMA Rule Comment Extensions
Now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will no longer be held to deadlines for FSMA rule comment periods, industry groups are asking for more time to give their input on certain regulations. The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), the Pet Food Institute (PFI) and the National…
FDA Seeks Comment on Draft Approach for Designating High-Risk Foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a draft methodological approach to identifying high-risk foods under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and will seek comments and scientific data to help refine it. FDA is required under Section 204(d)(2) of FSMA to designate high-risk foods for which additional record-keeping requirements are needed to rapidly…