FDA’s Food Traceability Rule To Track Food From Farm to Table

Last week FDA proposed new rules for food traceability that would require manufacturers, processors, packers, storage companies and distributors to maintain detailed records regarding growing, receiving, creating, transforming and shipping certain foods on the newly created Food Traceability List (FTL). The goal of these rules is to allow rapid mitigation of food borne illness outbreaks and associated events. The rule identifies critical events in the travel of food from farms where it is grown to final destination, usually a retail outlet and consumers. Documents recording specific information about these critical events would contain information such as production logs, purchase orders, list of food grown and shipped, appropriate coding of lots, and all other information relevant to understand the data by the regulators. Traceability records can be maintained as paper documents, electronic files or hybrid systems, and must be provided to regulators within 24 hours of request. Initially, the list of food for which this rule would apply includes common foods associated with food borne illness such as cheese, eggs, leafy vegetables, fruits, fish, crustaceans, salads, etc. but plans are to apply the requirements to all food products. These rules will not apply to small farms, farms that sell directly to consumers, certain processes food such as pasteurized foods, foods that are rarely consumed raw. In addition, the rule provides flexibility for partial compliance to certain specific food facilities such a retail stores that purchase their produce directly from local farms. The rule was published in the Federal Register, with 120 days comment period and plans to finalize and implement 60 days after finalization.