FDA Meeting to Discuss FSMA Preventive Controls for Facilities

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced an April 20, 2011,
public meeting to discuss a Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) mandate
to implement “comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the
food supply.” FSMA requires human, pet and animal food and feed facilities
registered under section 415 of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.
350d) “to take certain preventive actions, including to evaluate the hazards
that could affect food manufactured, processed, packed, or held by the
facility, and to identify and implement preventive controls to significantly
minimize or prevent the occurrence of such hazards.”

The meeting will help FDA establish these controls as well as industry guidance
“for conducting a hazard analysis, documenting hazards, implementing
preventive controls, and documenting their implementation.” In particular, the
agency has requested information on “preventive controls used by facilities
to identify and address hazards associated with specific types of food and
specific processes.” FDA will accept registrations and presentation proposals
until April 15, and comments on the event until May 20. See Federal Register,
April 13, 2011.