WASHINGTON — Leon Bruner, chief science officer for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, stressed the importance of enhancing the safety and reliability of the supply chain for imported food and food ingredients, in comments Tuesday before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s public meeting on the import safety provisions of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
"The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act provisions that will further improve the safety of our imported food and food ingredients are critically important components of this historic act,” said Bruner. “By requiring that all imported food and food ingredients be produced in accordance with U.S. requirements, this new law will help to maintain a safe and reliable supply chain to further reduce the frequency and impact of product recalls and food borne illnesses. These efforts will, in turn, bolster consumer confidence in the safety of our nation’s food supply.
“As FDA implements the import safety provisions of FSMA, GMA urges the agency to do so in a deliberative manner that is practical, efficient and science-based.”