New requirements came into force for the food industry on September 19, 2016. Both human and animal food manufacturing facilities must meet certain good practice requirements under the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The new rules have been created to minimize serious illness and death that can be caused by unsafe food products, by focusing on preventing food contamination throughout the entire production process.
Human food facilities must now meet preventive controls and Current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements (CGMPs). Animal food facilities must also meet CGMPs, although larger animal food businesses have an additional year to get ready for meeting the standards.
The FDA can order companies to recall potentially unsafe products under the new FSMA rules and can also fine offending companies up to $500,000 – or pursue a criminal prosecution against them.
