The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is the first major reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years and was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.
FSMA authorizes the FDA with new powers to prevent food safety problems, detect and respond to food safety issues, and improve the safety of imported foods. The new regulations focus on addressing food safety risks from microbial pathogens such as Salmonells, E.coli, O157:H7, and Shigella. FSMA does not address food safety risks from genetically engineered crops, pesticide use, or antibiotic resistance. FSMA focuses on requiring the FDA to establish new regulation for standards for produce production and food safety measures for facilities that process food for human consumption.
FSMA authorizes the FDA with new powers to prevent food safety problems, detect and respond to food safety issues, and improve the safety of imported foods. The new regulations focus on addressing food safety risks from microbial pathogens such as Salmonells, E.coli, O157:H7, and Shigella. FSMA does not address food safety risks from genetically engineered crops, pesticide use, or antibiotic resistance. FSMA focuses on requiring the FDA to establish new regulation for standards for produce production and food safety measures for facilities that process food for human consumption.
Links to additional information:
- Am I affected by new food safety rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act? A Flowchart for Farmers and Food Businesses.
- Final Rule on Produce Safety
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension Food Safety Page
- Food and Drug Administration Guidance and Regulation- FSMA
- Full Text of the Law- FDA Food Safety Modernization Act