In August, PFMA staff represented members at the 2015 FDA Central Region Retail Food Protections Education and Training Seminar in Richmond, Virginia. Below are some of the lessons learned and takeaways from that conference:
• Dr. Marissa Levine from the Virginia Department of Health was the first to make this point, but it was an overarching theme of the seminar. The system of food protection regulation has the ultimate goal of achieving health outcomes, but is essentially a human system. As a human system, it is dependent on relationships, and the design of that system should be founded on that.
• The FDA is about to undergo a massive program alignment change. Regional offices will be going away, and the administration will be moving to a program-based hierarchy. There was not much discussion about how FDA will be responsive on a regional level, but it was intimated that it will be leaning much more on state departments and local health boards.
• The implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has been expedited by a lawsuit. As a result, the FDA recently released a rulemaking on food importation, and plans to release a rulemaking on produce safety in October. In all, seven different regulatory packages are planned. PFMA will keep members informed as they are and comment when necessary.
• A panel of food safety managers from restaurant chains, privately owned restaurants, and grocery stores presented on active managerial control. They detailed their policies and procedures and what they do to require compliance among their employees. The group stressed establishing a relationship of mutual respect between inspectors and the inspected, and highlighting the common goal of public health.
• The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) presented on its regulatory authority and how it conducts foodborne illness inspections and determines root cause. FSIS indicated that it obtains product distribution information via store invoices, customer sales receipts, and loyalty shopper cards. These records are typically offered voluntarily and redacted, but can be statutorily required depending on the product. FSIS recommends including a clause indicating that information can be released for public health reasons be included in the terms and conditions of loyalty cards.
• Dr. Marissa Levine from the Virginia Department of Health was the first to make this point, but it was an overarching theme of the seminar. The system of food protection regulation has the ultimate goal of achieving health outcomes, but is essentially a human system. As a human system, it is dependent on relationships, and the design of that system should be founded on that.
• The FDA is about to undergo a massive program alignment change. Regional offices will be going away, and the administration will be moving to a program-based hierarchy. There was not much discussion about how FDA will be responsive on a regional level, but it was intimated that it will be leaning much more on state departments and local health boards.
• The implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has been expedited by a lawsuit. As a result, the FDA recently released a rulemaking on food importation, and plans to release a rulemaking on produce safety in October. In all, seven different regulatory packages are planned. PFMA will keep members informed as they are and comment when necessary.
• A panel of food safety managers from restaurant chains, privately owned restaurants, and grocery stores presented on active managerial control. They detailed their policies and procedures and what they do to require compliance among their employees. The group stressed establishing a relationship of mutual respect between inspectors and the inspected, and highlighting the common goal of public health.
• The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) presented on its regulatory authority and how it conducts foodborne illness inspections and determines root cause. FSIS indicated that it obtains product distribution information via store invoices, customer sales receipts, and loyalty shopper cards. These records are typically offered voluntarily and redacted, but can be statutorily required depending on the product. FSIS recommends including a clause indicating that information can be released for public health reasons be included in the terms and conditions of loyalty cards.
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