The FDA also has issued a fact sheet on the final rule and a draft guidance document regarding how the agency intends to exercise its authority to access the required records. Copies of the final rule and fact sheet are available on the FDA's website. The FDA plans additional outreach activities, which will be announced on the FDA's website.
The final rule requires that persons who manufacture, process, pack, transport, distribute, receive, hold, or import food in the United States must establish and maintain records to identify the immediate previous sources and immediate subsequent recipients of the food. The final rule also requires that these records be made available to the FDA for inspection and copying when the agency has a reasonable belief that an article of food is adulterated and presents a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals.
The purpose of the rule is to give the FDA the information it needs to conduct an efficient and effective tracing investigation in the event of a food emergency. For example, if the FDA determines that an outbreak of foodborne illness was caused by a particular ingredient in a food, the rule enables the FDA to trace back the source of the contaminated ingredient and trace forward to other recipients of that ingredient.
Food Services of America implemented a state of the art Recall System in 2001 that ensures fast and efficient communication to our customers and detailed records on recalls for the FDA and USDA. The system has performed in over 60 product recalls. Food services of America plans to continue to enhance our current systems to ensure compliance to the new regulations.
All Food Services of America branches have undergone security risk assessments. Security has been tightened. Procedures have been implemented to mitigate threat risks for each branch location.
-- Information provided in part by the International Foodservice Distributors Association
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