Food Safety Modernization Act
The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is the most exhaustive reform of food safety laws in the US in more than 70 years. The Act was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. Its primary aim is to ensure the US food supply is safe by shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.
FSMA focuses more on preventing food safety issues rather than relying on reacting to problems after they occur. The law also provides the FDA with new authority for enforcement designed to achieve higher rates of compliance with prevention- and risk-based food safety standards, and to better respond to and contain problems when they do occur. The law also gives the FDA important new tools to hold imported foods to the same standards as domestic foods and directs the FDA to build an integrated national food safety system in partnership with state and local authorities.
FSMA through BRCGS certification
To assist all sites certificated against the Global Standard for Food Safety, BRCGS commissioned The Acheson Group (TAG) to assess the Standard against the final rule for Preventive Controls for Human Food. The results of the analysis show certification to the Global Standard for Food Safety is almost in complete alignment with the expectations of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
FSMA Key Dates
Are you ready? Is your supply chain ready?
If you require further information, or you have any questions on the Preventive Controls Rule requirements for facilities certificated to the Global Standard for Food Safety, please
contact us.
BRCGS FSMA Training
The FDA has engaged the Illinois Institute of Technology to develop a recognized training course to satisfy the requirements around the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual, including gaining a full understanding of the regulations around the Preventive Controls for Human Food.
Gaining thorough understanding of the FDA's FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rules can be a time-consuming and confusing task. To help you fully understand the new rules, BRCGS are running a number of FDA-recognized Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) courses that cover the Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule.
The FSPCA course being offered through the BRCGS Academy is the only FDA-recognized training aimed at satisfying the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) training requirement. It is taught by a Lead Instructor for the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food course. On completion of the course, participants will receive their official FSPCA Preventive Controls Qualified Person certificate issued by AFDO.
Find a BRCGS Academy FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food course near you by visiting our training courses page and searching for 'Product Safety Management' courses.
Hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls
The BRCGS hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls (HARPC) course covers the similarities and differences between requirements of the Global Standard for Food Safety and the FDA's Preventive Controls rule.
BRCGS' HARPC course is not a substitute for the FDA’s Preventive Controls course. HARPC encompasses far more in the way of food safety assessment and control than a traditional hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) plan.