IN JUST three months, local food manufacturers and distributors will have to meet new requirements to produce for and export goods to the United States.
As of December 12, 2003, the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will implement new regulations, mandated by the US Public Health Security and Bio-terrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.
According to a Monday statement from the US Embassy in Kingston, currently included in the new measures are the "registration of domestic or foreign food facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for human or animal consumption in the US", as well as prior notification to the FDA "of food imported or offered for import into the US"
The US Embassy also said that "information that must be included and retained in records that would identify the immediate previous sources and immediate subsequent recipients of food" will be specified.
"A fourth regulation identifies procedures under which the FDA would administratively detain food that presents a serious health threat to humans or animals," the Embassy said.
REGISTERING
When registering, the owners, operators or agents of food facilities will be required to provide information, such as the name and address of each facility, and the categories of food the facility handles. After completing registration via the Internet, the individual will receive immediate confirmation of registration as well as the facility's registration number.
Registration can also be performed, though at a slower pace, by mail, the Embassy added.
"Imported food from foreign facilities that are required to register but have not will be held at the port of entry until the facility is registered," the US Embassy said.
However, some types of facilities will be exempted from the list of affected providers of FDA regulated foods and animal feed products. Included among the exempt are farms, restaurants, retail food establishments, non-profit establishments that prepare or serve food and fishing vessels.
The new regulations are among the latest in the US Government's efforts to strengthen security against bio-terrorism in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The new regulations have been published by the FDA as proposals for comment. The FDA expects to publish the final draft of registration and prior notice regulations by mid-October.
