COLORADO SPRINGS — The Food and Drug Administration's implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act will be accompanied by "extensive outreach to stakeholders to build consensus," said Commissioner Margaret Hamburg in a presentation at the Grocery Manufacturers Association Executive Conference here.
"We're implementing the act with openness and transparency," she said. "We'll have active engagement. Implementation will be grounded in the sense of partnership that made the law a reality."
The law strengthens inspections and supports new enforcement tools, she noted.
"It's the first time FDA has a legislative mandate for preventive controls across the food supply," she said. Hamburg emphasized the law's focus on import safety, including the use of tools such as third-party certifications.
She also cited the FDA's recently launched strategy to build food safety partnerships around the world, which includes "developing global data information system networks to share real-time information."
