HI Charles,
Where can this fascinating reading be found?
Marshall
Hi Marshall,
I was browsing through some google books on FSMA (becoming a popular topic). Unfortunately I didn’t note the authors. Sorry.
However just as an example, here is a quote I just unearthed ex an FDA document (ca 2015) –
Before the passage of FSMA, performance standards have been an important means by which FDA has sought the end result of “safe food.” Emphasis has been placed on verifying/monitoring the end result – the safety and sanitary production of the food that people consume -- rather than on the crucial need for industry to evaluate, institute and verify control measures to ensure that the introduction of hazards is prevented, conditions of manufacture are appropriate, and their products meet established food safety standards. An exception to this is where FDA has required HACCP (juice and seafood).
FDA-FSMA-Report-to-Congress (ca 2015).pdf 1.04MB
3 downloads
Compare this generic haccp comment (1994) which preceded FDA's Seafood Final Rule –
Few initiatives in the recent history of food safety regulation have approached the significance of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. The HACCP concept is simple; it is a systematic, proactive approach to preventing food safety hazards by focusing resources at those points at which food safety hazards can be controlled, an alternative to generally reactive end-product testing.
HACCP,1995.pdf 4.85MB
2 downloads
Déjà vu indeed ! Suggests the query - Why 20 years ?
PS - I also noted this potentially intriguing 2017 comment -
https://www.fooddive...recalls/440539/
When looking at the recalls that have occurred since FSMA went into effect, it’s important to note that many of them were not caused by the types of problems that FSMA is intended to stop. Food products can be recalled for contamination from bacteria or pathogens, but there are other reasons as well.
“Recalls are not just for contamination by bacteria,” Sandra Eskin, director of food safety policy at the Pew Charitable Trusts, told Food Dive. “They’re for allergens, and that’s a huge part. …There are pieces of plastic or metal, or some other contaminant.”
Undeclared allergens — food products containing things like dairy, soy, nuts, peanuts, gluten and eggs that aren’t on the label — lead the list of reasons why food products are recalled. Food Safety News reported that roughly since the beginning of February, 43% of all FDA food recalls have been due to this sort of labeling issue. In terms of USDA recalls, there were more related to undeclared allergens than salmonella, E. coli and listeria combined last year. These problems occur through mislabeling or equipment-sharing issues, which FSMA was not designed to correct.
