Food For Thought: What Are FSMA's Recall Requirements? (Part Two Of Three)

By Sam Lewis

By Sam Lewis, editor, Food Online; Vickery Brewer, consumer safety officer, FDA/CFSAN; and Warren Stone, senior director of science policy, GMA

View the entire web chat or check out part one of the series

On Monday, September 12, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the FDA partnered with Food Online for a live web chat, Food For Thought: What Are FSMA’s Recall Requirements? In this 45-minute live Q&A, Vickery Brewer, consumer safety officer at FDA/CFSAN, and Warren Stone, senior director of science policy at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) joined Food Online’s editor Sam Lewis to answer the food industry’s questions on the topic.

Sam: Can you explain the requirements for the Reportable Food Registry? Does there need to be a separate policy or procedure that addresses the RFR, or can it be an element of your recall procedure?

Vickery: The RFR is actually a separate requirement under FSMA. It would be in conjunction with a recall plan. Whereas the recall plan is required within the preventive control section, the RFR is independent in that if and when you learn of a product that is a likely serious concern, a serious health hazard, the problem should be reported to the Reportable Food Registry within 24 hours of knowledge of that violation.

Warren: I might also add that there are things that could trigger an RFR event that do not trigger a recall.