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The Food and Drug Administration is scheduling three day-long virtual meetings on its proposed rule to increase traceability requirements on fresh produce and other foods.
The enhanced requirements will be in a public comment period until Jan. 21.
The online seminars are:
- Nov. 6: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern;
- Nov. 18: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern; and
- Dec. 2: 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
Although they are all virtual meetings, space is limited and registration is required. More information and links to register for each meeting are on the FDA’s website. The times are staggered to give people in different time zones the opportunity to comment, according to the FDA’s notice on the meetings.
The new traceability rules affect grower-shippers, handlers and processors of:
- Cucumbers, all varieties;
- Fresh herbs, all varieties;
- Leafy greens, including all lettuces and kale, chicory, watercress, chard, arugula, spinach, pak choi, sorrel, collards, and endive;
- All melons, including watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe
- Peppers, all varieties;
- Sprouts; all varieties;
- Tomatoes; all varieties;
- Tropical tree fruits, including mangoes, papayas, lychees, starfruit and guavas; and
- Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.
The full Food Traceability List, which is what the FDA is calling the food items the proposed regulation covers, is online at https://bit.ly/2Ga3grb.
The FDA is highlighting what it calls Critical Tracking Events (CTEs), which includes growing, receiving, transforming (fresh-cut), and shipping. For each CTE, the FDA wants entities to maintain records (known as Key Data Elements/KDEs) including:
- Traceability lot code;
- Date the product was received;
- When it was shipped; and
- A description of the product.
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FDA proposes heightened traceability rules for certain produce