The FDA Final Rule<\/a> on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods, also called the Food Traceability Final Rule, creates new traceability requirements for food on the FDA\u2019s Food Traceability List<\/a> (FTL). Foods included on the FTL consist of cheeses, fresh produce and fish\/seafood. These requirements tied to the record-keeping of traceability data are complementary to requirements that are already set in place by the FSMA<\/a>. According to the FDA<\/a>, the new traceability requirements established in the food traceability final rule will:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n \u201c…allow for faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and\/or deaths.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This article covers:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n A recent increase in illnesses and deaths due to contaminated food has prompted the latest FDA established requirements for food traceability. These requirements are designed to help prevent foodborne illness outbreaks and better protect public health. For businesses that sell food, these new requirements will form the basis of a compliance plan. While this is a serious issue for food importers, exporters, and other related businesses, the stakes go beyond just business. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>, 48 million people in the U.S. become ill every year due to foodborne illness. This includes 128,000 that are hospitalized and almost 3,000 people that die from those illnesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n The FDA response to the increasing problem with foodborne illness is the new food traceability requirements. These requirements have taken the form of the <\/span>Food Safety Modernization Act<\/span><\/a> (FSMA), first signed into law in 2011. The FSMA is a comprehensive overhaul of the United States\u2019 food safety system and aims to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks by focusing on preventing contamination at the source. This approach is in contrast to investing more in a system that deals with contamination after a problem is discovered. Prevention is the key concept in these new regulations.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n The Food Traceability List<\/a> is a list of foods designated by the FDA for which additional recordkeeping is required as a prophylactic for public health. The food and ingredients on the list are categorized as more likely to be contaminated than those not on the list. The foods on this list are accompanied by a ranking according to their potential risk to public health. The FDA<\/a> ranking factors are:<\/span><\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, most of the foods on this list are either fresh foods, or animal based products.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Food Traceability List includes the following (updated Jan 17th, 2023):<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n The FDA reports that this list will be updated or changed in the future according to new discoveries and developments. A more extensive version of this list, with additional descriptions, is available on the official FDA Food Traceability List webpage<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n A simple program has been conveniently made available by the FDA to identify exceptions from the Food Traceability Final rule. This web dialogue is also available for your reference on their website here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n The Food Traceability Final Rule requires traceability data association for food on the Food Traceability List (FTL). This applies to foreign and domestic food manufacturers, food processors, packagers, or any domestic or foreign food companies selling or distributing food that is meant to be consumed in the U.S. and that includes ingredients found on the FTL.<\/span><\/p>\n There are two key parts to the Food Traceability final rule. Firms must:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Any person or company involved in the supply chain process must ensure maintenance and provision of Key Data Elements (KDE) to supply chain partners and the FDA. The FDA has specified the kind of data that is most critical as Critical Tracking Events (CTE). These Critical Tracking Events are meant to ensure a higher level of traceability throughout the supply chain, which in term is expected to result in a higher level of food safety. The KDE\u2019s and CTE\u2019s vary per type of product and supply chain activity. There is not one guideline that fits all foods on the FTL. You can learn more about the exact KDE\u2019s required for each CTE on the FDA website here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n In the event of a data request, Key Data Elements must be provided to the FDA within 24 hours or within a reasonable timeframe that the FDA agrees on.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n Why is food traceability important?\n <\/h1>\n\n\n
\n How is the FSMA related to the FDA?\n <\/h1>\n\n\n
\n What is the Food Traceability List?\n <\/h2>\n\n\n
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\n FDA Food Traceability Final Rule: How does it work?\n <\/h1>\n\n\n
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