Proposed Rule: Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis and Risk Based Preventive Controls for Human Food.

This is another proposed rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act which will affect some packinghouses, specifically operations that qualified for the FDA Food Facility Registration.  Farms are exempt from this rule IF they grow and harvest produce in one general location, do not pack product from other farms and do not cut into the consumable portion of the product.

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Records, Compliance and Enforcement Subparts O and P
Food Safety Modernization Act proposed rule

This FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed recordkeeping, compliance, and enforcement within the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.

Questions asked during this conference call were:

1. Do lot numbers need to stay the same from supplier to supplier? Currently each supplier assigns its own lot number to a box, can this still occur?
Yes, changing the lot number is OK. Each supplier will need to keep records of what they received and the information that they assigned to each box. There needs to be a way to trace product back and forth one step. [Read more…]

Food Safety Modernization Act Question and Answer Session on Health, Hygiene and Training, subpart D.

This FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed health, hygiene and training focus areas of the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.
Questions asked during this conference call were:

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The FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed equipment, tools, buildings and sanitation practices that will be affected by the impending Food Safety Modernization Act produce rule.

Here are the questions and answers from that call:

1. Are cats permitted in packing houses? They serve as effective rodent control.

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The FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of produce.

Here are the questions and answers from that call:

1. Will growers be expected to use food grade containers? [Read more…]

The FDA Proposed Produce Food Safety Rule Q & A conference call, coordinated by the Produce Safety Alliance, discussed domestic and wild animals. This conference call focused on the potential impact of the rule on production practices regarding animals.

1. The phrase is used “growers will act appropriately” regarding potential contamination from animals on the farm. This phrase is very vague; will there be guidance from the FDA detailing what is “appropriate” action? [Read more…]