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Biosecurity News in Brief
FDA Revises Food Import StandardsBy Nidhi Bouri, November 17, 2008 On November 10, 2008, CIDRAP reported that the FDA is changing its requirement for the advance notice of food imports following the October release of its final rule and draft compliance, which will take effect May 6, 2009.1 Food carriers will be required to give the FDA 8 hours’ advance notice of food shipments arriving by boat, 4 hours for those arriving by air or rail, and 2 hours for those arriving by road. Firms will be able to file notices up to 15 days prior to shipment arrival; the limit now is just 5 days in advance. Furthermore, importers will no longer be excused from identifying the manufacturer of processed food if they do not know who the manufacturer is.1 In early November, the GAO identified food safety as one of the 13 issues in need of urgent attention by the new administration and Congress. GAO specifically highlighted the flawed federal regulatory system, under which 15 different agencies now administer food safety laws. According to the GAO, oversight under the current system is inconsistent, and the response to food-borne diseases is often ineffective. The GAO also suggested that the new Administration address discrepancies in funding for regulatory agencies.2 References
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