FDA RELEASES FINAL RULE ON FOOD SAFETY DURING TRANSPORT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized a new food safety rule that will help prevent food contamination during transport. Under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), those carriers involved in transporting human and animal food will be required to follow recognized best practices for sanitary transportation, such as properly refrigerating food, adequately cleaning vehicles between loads and properly protecting the food during transport.

The action is part of a larger effort to focus on prevention of food safety problems throughout the food chain and will apply to food transported within the United States by motor or rail vehicles, whether or not the food is offered for or enters interstate commerce.

Shippers, loaders, carriers and receivers engaged in transportation operations of food imported by motor or rail vehicles and consumed or distributed in the U.S., are also subject to the final rule. Businesses would be required to comply with the new regulation one year after the final rule is published, and smaller businesses are granted two years to comply.

The FDA is holding a webinar on the new rule on April 25, 2016, from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Eastern Time. Registration is not necessary, however, the Agency asks that you connect by 10:45 am.