FDA Announces Extension Of Comment Period On Proposed Rule On Intentional Adulteration

FDA is announcing the extension of the comment period on “Focused Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration,” and the associated Draft Qualitative Risk Assessment, which was published in the December 24, 2013, Federal Register. FDA has considered requests to extend the comment period and is granting a 90-day extension to June 30, 2014.

Under the proposed rule, a food facility would be required to have a written food defense plan that addresses significant vulnerabilities in its food production process. Facilities then would need to identify and implement strategies to address these vulnerabilities, establish monitoring procedures and corrective actions, verify that the system is working, ensure that personnel assigned to the vulnerable areas receive appropriate training and maintain certain records.

The proposed rule does not apply to farms and food for animals. Also in the proposed rule, the FDA describes its current thinking on this topic and solicits comment on other issues, including economically motivated adulteration.