FDA guidance outlines new regulations to curve foodborne illnesses

The FDA issued draft guidance related to regulatory oversight for food products covered by a Systems Recognition Arrangement, according to a press release.

To bend the curve of foodborne illness, this draft guidance outlined how the agency plans to adjust regulatory activities for foods subject to regulatory requirements, going hand in hand with the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act and the FDA’s Strategy for the Safety of Imported Food.

“This draft guidance addresses the FDA’s oversight of foods imported from countries covered by a Systems Recognition Arrangement, specifically adjustments to activities that include inspections, screening and sampling," Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, said in the press release. "Systems recognition assessments focus not only on the ability of food safety systems to help ensure food safety, but also on the ability of food safety authorities to identify, address and contain food safety issues and outbreaks that may arise. ... The assessments are additional tools that the FDA has to help ensure that consumers can have confidence that their food is safe, whether produced in the U.S. or elsewhere.”