With the enactment of the United States Food Safety Modernization Act in January 2011, there are new responsibilities for food companies, with an emphasis on comprehensive prevention controls in human and animal food facilities. The Act mandates prevention standards, strengths hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls, prevention in imports, and provides produce safety and intentional adulteration standards. These extend to controls over imported food, new fees for food companies and importers and enhanced enforcement powers for U.S. regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration. This symposium will provide IAFP attendees with current information on new policies and newly published guidelines that have been adopted or revised and enacted under the new law. With emphasis on food safety/preventive controls (HACCP), supply chain management, records maintenance and access and food defense plans. Integral parts of the Act cover prevention standards, inspection and compliance, imports, U.S. Federal/State integration and fees. A major focus of the Act also clarifies the need for third party certification, foreign supplier verification activities and training for food safety employees and supervisors. The speakers in this symposium will touch on these subjects after an overview of the Act and an update of the new regulations that have been put forth by the FDA is presented. Attendees will therefore gain an appreciation of FSMA affects on third party certification, foreign supplier verification and the implementation/training of food safety professionals. Finally, attendees will also gain an appreciation on the European perspective of FSMA and how the continent is responding to the requirements in the Act.

Presentations