FDA grants extension for food facilities to register
FDA grants extension for food facilities to register
U.S. and foreign food companies will have one more month, until Jan. 31, 2013, to renew facility registration with the Food & Drug Administration, the agency announced Dec. 12.
Food facilities that manufacture, process, pack and store food and feed are required by the new FDA Food Safety Modernization Act to renew their registration by Dec. 31, 2012, and every two years after that. Most farms, restaurants and retail establishments are exempted, although certain activities can trigger registration.
What's at stake for food companies? U.S. companies handling food without a facility registration number could face criminal or civil prosecution, and importers could see their shipments refused or held at the port until a facility is properly registered with the FDA.
The new food-safety law directed the FDA to have the registration portal running from Oct.1-Dec. 31, but the agency experienced a three-week delay due to technical problems that pushed back the re-registration start date to Oct. 22.
The United Fresh Produce Associated joined several other trade associations pleading last month for a deadline extension in a letter to the FDA.
"This action would ensure that companies have a full three-month window to complete the renewal requirement, provide the agency time to resolve some of the technical issues that have arisen so far, and allow for the agency to clarify this new requirement to stakeholders," the groups said. "In short, it will help ensure that FDA has the most accurate and up to date accounting of food facilities."
The food industry offered a list of reasons why FDA should grant them more time.
Food firms experienced technical difficulties during the first week as the online renewal system was overloaded, and, in some cases, the information on current registrations was not accurate. Disruptions from Hurricane Sandy only added to the confusion, the groups said.
Along with the month-long extension, the FDA released two updated guidance documents for industry: a question-and-answer on facility registrations, and a shorter, simplified version for small businesses.
The documents spell out who must register with the FDA, who is exempt and new procedures the FDA will follow in suspending a company's registration in the event of a food- or feed-safety event.
