The Food and Drug Administration has released a proposed rule developed in accordance with Section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). According to Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas, the Agency will standardize record keeping relating to production and distribution of foods. It is intended that any company should be able to provide the FDA with an electronic spreadsheet to facilitate traceability within one working day.
The FDA is promoting electronic records for traceability to respond to possible public health problems. This approach is consistent with the adoption of the Produce Traceability Initiative and the Marketing Agreement of the California/Arizona Leafy Greens Association. The rule requires electronic recording of the identity of the product, traceability lot code, the dates product was received and shipped. The Food Traceability List includes nine categories of vegetable and fruit that must be tracked through growing to delivery. The FDA has focused on green produce as a priority based on consecutive seasonal outbreaks of foodborne STEC infection from this food category that is consumed raw. It is anticipated that the electronic data requirements to facilitate traceability will soon be extended to all food products.