Proposed FDA Rule on the Sanitary Transportation of Food

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed another key component of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The proposed rule would apply to shippers, receivers, and carriers who transport food in the U.S. by truck or rail, both in interstate and intrastate commerce. The rule has a number of provisions, including the following:

• Vehicles must be maintained in a manner to avoid food contamination.
• During transit, proper temperatures must be maintained, and food items must be separated from non-food items in the same load.
• Carriers must exchange information about prior cargoes, cleaning of transportation equipment and allergen control.
• Carrier personnel must be properly trained in the handling of food cargo.
• Carriers must keep records related to equipment cleaning, prior cargoes and temperature control.

The transportation of shelf-stable food that is completely enclosed by a container is exempt from the rule. Farmers hauling their own raw agricultural commodities are also exempt.

Carriers would have to comply with the new requirements within 60 days of when the final rule is published, but small businesses would have an extended compliance deadline.

FDA is conducting public workshops on the proposed rule and stakeholders are invited to submit comments by May 31, 2014.

Article written by Rob Neenan, President and CEO, California League of Food Processors

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