Understanding The New Food Safety Rules
22.05.12
Powers over food safety issues in nearly 75 years. It was prompted in part by major foodborne outbreaks involving peanuts, produce, eggs and meat over the last decade.
The FSMA is divided into four titles:
Improving capacity to prevent food safety problems
Improving capacity to detect and respond to food safety problems
Improving the safety of imported food
Miscellaneous provisions. [Some provisions, but not all, directly affect you.]
Two areas of likely immediate application for you involve imported foods and locally grown produce. The FSMA extends responsibility for safe food up and down the supply chain. This means, for example, that:
A restaurant importing a food item will be held responsible for the safety of that item and must be certain that the source of the product is compliant with FSMA regulations regarding imported food.
A restaurant using locally grown produce will be held responsible for knowing what the food safety plan and procedures are for the local
Source: Insurance News Net (press release)