US: Finalised US sanitary rule requires more scrutiny from food shippers
Journal of Commerce / Lara L. Sowinski: On April 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule establishing requirements for shippers, loaders, carriers by motor vehicle and rail, and receivers engaged in the transportation of food, including animal food, to use sanitary transportation practices to ensure the safety of the food they transport. The final rule is part of the FDA’s larger effort to focus on prevention of food safety problems throughout the supply chain, including the implementation of the Sanitary Food Transportation Act of 2005 and the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011.
The final rule’s requirements regarding temperature monitoring and recordkeeping are a primary concern for parties involved in the global cold chain.
Christopher Ripple, an associate at McGuireWoods who focuses on litigation and regulatory matters as a member of the firm’s Food and Beverage, FDA Regulatory and Transportation industry teams, weighs in on the FDA’s efforts to keep food safe in the supply chain.