Food Traceability Rule and its Impact on the Food Industry- Is the industry ready

In November 2022, the FDA published its Final Food Traceability Rule, Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods. The Rule requires companies that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods listed on the Food Traceability List (FTL) to maintain detailed records on their supply chain and suppliers, including "Key Data Elements" (KDEs), about how those supplies handled and processed. Bob Ferguson published the results of a questionnaire on the new Traceability rule in Food Safety and its impact on food processors. They surveyed   ~100 companies in the US, Canada, and 13 other countries. 88% of US companies are aware of the new rules. However, less than 50% of international companies are aware of it. The top concerns are about application and enforcement and how the FDA will approach enforcement for products that appear to be covered under the FTL but are not precisely defined in the text of the Rule. Many questioned the type and intensity of enforcement being expected. Companies, especially small ones, are requesting help to comply. Another concern is getting further clarity on the steps required for compliance. Companies are concerned about the complexity of the programs and recordkeeping needed and important considerations on additional staffing and costs required to comply with the Traceability Rule. Only 5 % of processors said they had "no concerns" about the Rule. 87 % of companies said that a three-year compliance timeframe was reasonable, and 11 % were not sure. @ https://digitaledition.food-safety.com/february-march-2023/column-food-safety-insights/

 Column-Food Safety Insights
Column-Food Safety Insights

We surveyed food processors in North America and internationally to get their thoughts on FDA’s new Traceability Rule and how it will impact their businesses.

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