Preparing For FSMA: The Sanitary Transportation Of Human And Animal Food Rule

By Pamela Sweeten, Founder, P. Sweeten Consulting

FSMA’s seventh rule, the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food, will go into effect March 31. Previously, it was just guidelines set forth by the FDA; now, it’s a law for those involved in the transportation of perishables to meet requirements in sanitation, temperature control, and record keeping. Full text of the FDA’s guidelines and who is covered can be found in the above link.

I spoke with three cold chain logistics professionals whose focus is food safety in transportation to help you prepare facilities, written agreements, and transportation operations under FSMA’s Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food.

Jim Fox has more than 30 years of experience in shipping and warehousing operations and is the founder of Verispect Smart Inspections, a cloud-based documentation program to track shipping processes and protocols for compliance.

Edgar Vargas is the founder of Food Safety Now! A third-party fresh produce sampling operation as well as KleenTrans, an equipment and container sanitizing service that also offers training and assessment programs to food transportation and logistics professionals.

Dr. John Ryan has extensive international manufacturing quality and operations experience, is the President of Sanitary Cold Chain, and author of the book Guide to Food Safety and Quality During Transportation. He is also managing partner with Edgar Vargas in TransCert, providing the cold chain industry worldwide with guidance, certification, and audit services.