MCLEAN, Va. — The American Frozen Food Institute joined with a coalition of food groups on Friday in urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue modified food safety compliance requirements for warehouse facilities that store packaged foods not exposed to the environment.
AFFI and the coalition requested that FDA exempt warehouse facilities from hazard analysis and preventive control requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). AFFI contends that FSMA’s requirements are intended to address issues primarily in food-production facilities, such as sanitation for food-contact surfaces and utensils, allergen controls, hygiene training and supplier verification activities.
“The FSMA provisions requiring warehouse facilities that store packaged frozen foods to implement the same preventive controls required of food producers are overly burdensome, duplicative and unnecessary, and would lead to increased costs for the warehouse community and, ultimately, consumers,” said Kraig R. Naasz, AFFI’s president and chief executive officer.
In addition to AFFI, the coalition includes the American Bakers Association, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the International Bottled Water Association, the International Dairy Foods Association, the International Warehouse Logistics Association, the Peanut & Tree Nut Processors Association and the Snack Food Association.