FDA Proposes Third-Party Food Safety Certification

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated that it will seek public comment on a proposal that would allow the accreditation of third-party certification bodies “to conduct food safety audits of eligible foreign food facilities, and issue food and facility certifications, pursuant to the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.” The notice responds to a number of comments received following a comment period on the proposed collection of information, including a note that the third-party certification system could help the government “prevent potentially harmful food from reaching U.S. consumers and thereby improve the safety of the U.S. food supply” because current resources are limited.