On April 30, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement from Acting FDA Commissioner, Ned Sharpless, M.D. and Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannis on steps to usher the U.S. into a new era of smarter food safety. The statement has significant implications for the food industry. Key points in the statement include:
- FDA is considering requiring unit/package level tracking of food and more electronic recordkeeping related to food safety matters
- FDA is leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning in regulation of imports and may leverage the Internet of things (i.e. sensors in appliances, pallets etc.) in regulating foods
- FDA is considering regulating home food delivery (i.e. the transportation and handling from a distribution center or retail store to a residential location)
Please see this USFI regulatory alert for more information and please contact Erik Lieberman at elieberman@usfoodimports.com or 202-765-1800 if you have questions or would like additional information.
