The Food Safety Modernization Act and your factory floors

The Food Safety Modernization Act and your factory floors

The federal Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years, was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.

Food processors are now required to have a written, preventive controls plan that spells out the steps to be taken to prevent or minimize the likelihood of hazards occurring as a result of damaged floors and walls. The FDA now has the authority to suspend the registration of the processing facility. Suspension may occur not only if a processor fails to take measures to keep damaged foods from reaching consumers, but also if steps are not taken to prevent a recurrence. If either failure occurs, FDA will step in.

One useful approach to creating a plan that shows you are ready and able to continue production and be in compliance quickly when compliance is compromised, is to mention Durall’s 24/7 support program for both product and expertise.

Now in effect is a rule that allows the FDA to detain for up to 30 days of food products it believes may be adulterated or misbranded. Such foods would be kept out of the marketplace until the agency determines whether there is a need for further enforcement actions, such as seizure or an injunction to prevent the suspect products from being distributed.

The new law also strengthens FDA’s enforcement tools in the event that potentially unsafe food has already entered the marketplace. Two main tools include these:

Suspension of registration. The law authorizes FDA to suspend the registration of a facility under certain circumstances if the food it manufactured, processed, packed, received, or held presents a serious health hazard. A facility with a suspended registration will not be able to legally offer food for sale in the United States until the FDA lifts the suspension.

Mandatory recall. Before FSMA, the FDA had to rely on a firm’s voluntary decision to remove food from the marketplace that could be hazardous to humans or animals. Under the new law, the agency can order a recall if the company does not cease distribution itself and recall its product. If there is reason to believe that the food is adulterated or misbranded and that use of the product could result in serious illness or death, FDA can order that distribution be halted and all implicated products recalled. Additionally, the FDA has launched a new search engine where consumers can quickly and easily check on new and recent recalls.

For a detailed quote of materials needed to apply epoxy paint to your floor, please visit our free cost analysis page at http://concrete-floor-coatings.com/costanalysis/

For more information, contact Chris Biesanz at chris@durallmfg.com or phone 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7).

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