On January 4, 2011, Congress enacted the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), aiming to protect the public by ensuring the U.S. food supply is safe through prevention and enforcement. The FSMA included seven foundational rules, which we summarized in our FSMA: Stay Compliant with DTL’s ‘PICTURE’! blog. […]
On January 2, 2018, FDA announced that it expects to begin accepting applications in early 2018 for its Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP), which we first advised you of back in 2015. VQIP is a voluntary, fee-based program for importers that will allow expedited review and importation of human and animal foods into the United States for approved applicants who achieve and maintain a high level of control over the safety and security of their supply chains. Below are the most important VQIP questions and answers from the FDA. […]
In an earlier article, we detailed some of the new changes that would be implemented with the new Nutrition Facts Label rule. That article also provided the compliance dates for the rule. On September 29,2017, however, the FDA proposed yet another deadline extension for food companies to bring their products’ labeling into compliance with the new Nutrition Facts Label rule. Amid concerns of requiring more time to implement the final rules, raised by trade groups and companies, the FDA decided to further delay the compliance dates. The proposed extension dates are January 1, 2020, for companies with food sales of $10 million or more a year and January 1, 2021, for companies with less than $10 million a year in food sales.
In a news release issued September 29, 2017, The FDA reiterated its commitment “to making sure that consumers have the facts they need to make informed decisions about their diet and the foods they feed their families.” Furthermore, because this extension is a proposal, the FDA will exercise discretion with respect to the current compliance dates of July 26, 2018, and July 26, 2019. […]
Take a look at any food label. Check out the back panel entitled, “Nutrition Facts”. It should look similar to the image on the left. Take a look at the total carbohydrate. In this sample, the total carbs is 37g, with 4g of dietary fiber, and 1g of sugar. That leaves 32g of carbohydrates unaccounted for! What are those carbs you might wonder? Well, a majority of them are added sugars.
On May 20, 2016 the FDA finalized the new Nutrition Facts label final rule for packaged foods. It was the first major update, and regulation, to the nutrition facts label in 20 years. The FDA’s regulation targeted sugars, in particular “added sugars”, and provided a major update to the amount of nutrients people customarily consume. Additionally, the nutrition facts label received a face lift.
Yesterday, we at DTL, had the pleasure of hosting Part II of our #WorldTradeMonth Seminar Series for Compliance Professionals. The second seminar focused on FDA FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) Compliance for Importers with expert speakers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and industry. We had a packed house with an array of attendees such as importers of food, beverages, and medical devices, along with customs brokers, freight forwarders / NVOCCs, lawyers, consultants, and others. We received requests for a re-cap from those who attended and industry members who were not able to attend. You asked and we deliver. Here is our recap: