What is the FSMA?

What is FSMA?

The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has been called the most sweeping reform of U.S. food safety laws in more than 70 years. It was originally signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011, and in the years since, FDA has worked to develop the final rules. The focus of this law is more effective prevention of food safety problems in the U.S. food supply. The law applies to both human food and food for animals, including pets.

FSMA

According to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48 million people in the U.S. get sick each year, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses. That means 1 in 6 people in the U.S. gets sick from contaminated food every 12 months. These statistics are important to keep an eye on and address as the food supply in the U.S. also represents a huge economic value, contributing nearly $1 trillion to the national gross domestic product (GDP) each year.

Manufacturers play an important role in preventing foodborne illness through responsibilities outlined in the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The act revised food manufacturing regulations and gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greater authority to oversee and enforce supply chains. FSMA shifts the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it and affects nearly every company that must register with the FDA.