Imports of Food Products Subject to New Requirements
04/01/09 03:45 PM
On
March 31, 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) issued a letter to the Trade
outlining the new import permit process for USDA
Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)-exempted
food products containing small amounts (less
than two percent) of meat and/or poultry
ingredients.
All import permit applications for FSIS-exempted food products containing small amounts of meat and poultry ingredients submitted to APHIS after June 22, 2009 will be reviewed by FSIS before APHIS can issue an import permit. The new rules mandate that, after the permit applications are submitted to APHIS, they must be approved by FSIS to ensure that meat and poultry ingredients in such food products originate from eligible sources (i.e. prepared under FSIS supervision or in a foreign establishment certified by a foreign inspection system approved by FSIS). Importers will now be required to provide evidence directly to FSIS to support the origin of the meat and poultry ingredients used in the food products identified on the APHIS permit application.
Failure to provide such source documentation will lead to FSIS advising APHIS that the products are ineligible for entry into U.S. commerce, and an import permit will be denied.
Furthermore, APHIS has informed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that a USDA import permit will now be required for FSIS-exempted food products containing small smounts of meat and/or poultry ingredients from countries considered by USDA to be affected with animal diseases of concern. Products from such countries that previously entered under a health certificate indicating product being concentrated for boiling (e.g. bouillon cubes, extracts, or soup mixes), will now require a USDA import permit. Customs will begin enforcing this APHIS policy on June 22, 2009.
A list of countries eligible to export meat, poultry or processed egg products to the U.S. can be found here.
All import permit applications for FSIS-exempted food products containing small amounts of meat and poultry ingredients submitted to APHIS after June 22, 2009 will be reviewed by FSIS before APHIS can issue an import permit. The new rules mandate that, after the permit applications are submitted to APHIS, they must be approved by FSIS to ensure that meat and poultry ingredients in such food products originate from eligible sources (i.e. prepared under FSIS supervision or in a foreign establishment certified by a foreign inspection system approved by FSIS). Importers will now be required to provide evidence directly to FSIS to support the origin of the meat and poultry ingredients used in the food products identified on the APHIS permit application.
Failure to provide such source documentation will lead to FSIS advising APHIS that the products are ineligible for entry into U.S. commerce, and an import permit will be denied.
Furthermore, APHIS has informed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that a USDA import permit will now be required for FSIS-exempted food products containing small smounts of meat and/or poultry ingredients from countries considered by USDA to be affected with animal diseases of concern. Products from such countries that previously entered under a health certificate indicating product being concentrated for boiling (e.g. bouillon cubes, extracts, or soup mixes), will now require a USDA import permit. Customs will begin enforcing this APHIS policy on June 22, 2009.
A list of countries eligible to export meat, poultry or processed egg products to the U.S. can be found here.
FDA Develops New Tools to Further Improve the Security of Food and Cosmetics
12/26/07 11:26 AM
As part
of the Food and Drug Administration's
(FDA) comprehensive
Food Protection
Plan initiative,
on December 21, 2007, the FDA released
self-assessment
tools for
the food and cosmetic industry to minimize the
risk of intentional contamination of food and
cosmetics. The FDA states that the tools are
companion pieces designed to make the previously
issued industry guidance documents more
user-friendly and practical.
In 2003, the FDA issued a set of Food and Cosmetic Security Preventative Measures Guidance documents. These documents were aimed at operators of food and cosmetic establishments, as well as businesses that produce, process, store, repack, relabel, distribute, sell or transport foods, food ingredients, and cosmetics to help them minimize the risk of malicious, criminal, or terrorist actions involving products under their control.
The guidance documents are:
The self-assessment tool asks the participant to mark the presence of a variety of food protection measures with a Y (Yes), N (No), N/A (Not Applicable), or Don't Know for each item. Examples of measures addressed by the self-assessment tools include the possibility of product tampering; identification of security procedures and responsibilities; and evaluation of response strategies in the event of product tampering or other intentional contamination.
In 2003, the FDA issued a set of Food and Cosmetic Security Preventative Measures Guidance documents. These documents were aimed at operators of food and cosmetic establishments, as well as businesses that produce, process, store, repack, relabel, distribute, sell or transport foods, food ingredients, and cosmetics to help them minimize the risk of malicious, criminal, or terrorist actions involving products under their control.
The guidance documents are:
- Food Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance
- Importers and Filers: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance
- Retail Food Stores and Food Service Establishments: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance
- Cosmetics Processors and Transporters: Cosmetics Security Preventive Measures Guidance
- Dairy Farms, Bulk Milk Transporters, Bulk Milk Transfer Stations and Fluid Milk Processors Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance
The self-assessment tool asks the participant to mark the presence of a variety of food protection measures with a Y (Yes), N (No), N/A (Not Applicable), or Don't Know for each item. Examples of measures addressed by the self-assessment tools include the possibility of product tampering; identification of security procedures and responsibilities; and evaluation of response strategies in the event of product tampering or other intentional contamination.
Interagency Working Group on Import Safety Presents Action Plan to President Bush
11/08/07 07:06 PM
More information can be found at: www.importsafety.gov.