FDA to hold traceability meetings
FDA to hold traceability meetings
WASHINGTON -- In the wake of the Salmonella saintpaul outbreak, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is holding two public meetings this fall to gather information on ways to enhance traceability systems for fresh produce.
The daylong meetings are planned for Oct. 16 at FDA's College Park, MD, office and for Nov. 13 at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland, CA.
The issue of traceability surfaced repeatedly during this summer's Salmonella saintpaul outbreak investigation. FDA officials often pointed to the tomato industry's complex and paper-dependent traceability system as a hurdle in tracing tomatoes back to farms, a charge the tomato industry has refuted in congressional hearings.
But the produce industry and regulators agree that traceability systems need to be improved, and some members of Congress and consumer groups have called for legislation that would require emergency, mandatory traceability rules for fresh produce in a response to the Salmonella outbreak.
"The purpose of the meetings is to stimulate and focus a discussion about mechanisms to enhance product tracing systems for fresh produce and to improve FDA's ability to use the information in such systems to identify the source of contamination associated with fresh produce-related outbreaks of foodborne illness," according to FDA's press announcement.
In a Sept. 24 Federal Register notice, FDA is asking nine questions, ranging from what type of information should be attached to bill of ladings, cases or products to what kind of voluntary and mandatory measures would improve traceability in the industry.
"We have learned that we need to be able to respond to the increased size and complexity of the fresh produce supply chain with a traceback capacity that is likewise more sophisticated, effective and efficient, and that reflects and responds to changing production and distribution patterns," said the FDA announcement.
The daylong meetings are planned for Oct. 16 at FDA's College Park, MD, office and for Nov. 13 at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland, CA.
The issue of traceability surfaced repeatedly during this summer's Salmonella saintpaul outbreak investigation. FDA officials often pointed to the tomato industry's complex and paper-dependent traceability system as a hurdle in tracing tomatoes back to farms, a charge the tomato industry has refuted in congressional hearings.
But the produce industry and regulators agree that traceability systems need to be improved, and some members of Congress and consumer groups have called for legislation that would require emergency, mandatory traceability rules for fresh produce in a response to the Salmonella outbreak.
"The purpose of the meetings is to stimulate and focus a discussion about mechanisms to enhance product tracing systems for fresh produce and to improve FDA's ability to use the information in such systems to identify the source of contamination associated with fresh produce-related outbreaks of foodborne illness," according to FDA's press announcement.
In a Sept. 24 Federal Register notice, FDA is asking nine questions, ranging from what type of information should be attached to bill of ladings, cases or products to what kind of voluntary and mandatory measures would improve traceability in the industry.
"We have learned that we need to be able to respond to the increased size and complexity of the fresh produce supply chain with a traceback capacity that is likewise more sophisticated, effective and efficient, and that reflects and responds to changing production and distribution patterns," said the FDA announcement.
