Private third-party audits are often done within the context of private third-party certification schemes. Recognizing the demands on suppliers in terms of compliance with regulatory requirements, as well as conformance to private market requirements, this roundtable will discuss strategic thinking around overlapping public and private requirements, and whether there may be opportunities to minimize redundancies and reduce the burden on business, while upholding food safety outcomes demanded by both the market and FDA.
Thinking on this topic is evolving both in the private sector and at FDA. The food industry seeks clarity of how compliance with third-party standards and audits by third-party auditors can be used by food producers to show their compliance with the FSMA regulations. Owners of certification schemes are considering whether and how to align their standards with FSMA standards. FDA is contemplating whether and how to use reliable, private audits performed outside of FDA’s accredited third-party rule. FDA has received numerous comments and questions about this topic at public meetings and during the FSMA rulemaking process. Given the public interest and upcoming compliance dates for the FSMA rules, this session will provide a timely discussion on a topic of great importance to FSMA implementation and to food safety worldwide.