Need to become FSMA Compliant?

On April 6th, 2018, the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) comes into effect.
Here’s what you need to know to be FSMA compliant.

What does being FSMA compliant mean for Transportation Companies?

With the goal of proactively protecting against food safety issues from the transportation of food. The American Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has been developing a new compliance standard called FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) for the past 7 years. Specifically, FSMA is aimed at eliminating inadequate temperatures and unsanitary conditions of food during transportation to prevent food safety issues such as spoilage.

This new FSMA regulation is will come into effect for April 2018, meaning that transportation companies with revenues exceeding $500,000 USD per year are to be in compliance. This includes carriers, shippers, receivers, and loaders who are to ensure the proper conditions of transporting human and animal food through defined sanitation guidelines, temperature monitoring, and record keeping from farm to table.

FSMA Compliance: Key Requirements for the Transportation of Food

Vehicle and Transportation Equipment

Vehicles and transportation equipment must be properly designed for transporting food so as to not cause food to become unsafe. They must be adequately cleanable and capable of maintaining the appropriate temperatures for the safe transport of food.

Transportation Operations

Measures must be taken during transportation to ensure food safety, such as adequate temperature controls and prevention of food contamination from cross contact with other food and with non-food items.

Training

Carrier personnel must be trained in sanitary transportation practices and training must be documented.

Record Keeping

Records must be kept of written processes, agreements and training for 12 months, and records must be retrievable when necessary. Records must be kept as original documents, true copies or electronic records.