FDA introduces new tool to track FSMA implementation

To help measure the progress, and continue to refine its implementation, of FSMA, FDA has launched a Food Safety Dashboard, where it will publish metrics relating to the implementation of the act. FDA initial data shows that, since 2016, the majority of companies inspected are in compliance with the new requirements of the preventive control rules, and that overall, the food industry has reduced the time it takes from identifying a recall event to initiating a voluntary recall from an average of four days in 2016 to approximately two days in 2019. In addition, a comparison of FSMA data with FDA recall data demonstrates the effectiveness of preventive measures, with food recalls reaching a five-year low.

The new dashboard introduces metrics for food safety outcomes, associated measures and initial data for certain aspects of FSMA. The initial metrics track outcomes in the areas of inspections and recalls for Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls rules for both human food and food for animals, as well as imported food safety, including data relevant to the Foreign Supplier Verification Program rule.

FDA plans to update the data for these FSMA rules quarterly, with the goal of ultimately publishing metrics for all seven FSMA rules.