For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has announced two new regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  According to the FDA's news release these new regulations will help to ensure the safety and security of food products in the United States.

The rules were approved by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, and then signed by President Obama in January. The rules are said to be enacted July 3, 2011.

New Rule #1: It will allow the FDA to detain food they believe to be produced under unsanitary or unsafe conditions. Before this new rule the FDA could do so only when they had credible evidence that the food would cause serious health effects or death to humans or animals.

“This authority strengthens significantly the FDA’s ability to keep potentially harmful food from reaching U.S. consumers,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Mike Taylor.  “It is a prime example of how the new food safety law allows FDA to build prevention into our food safety system.”

New Rule #2: This rule requires anyone importing food into the US to inform the FDA if another country has refused the item from entering.  This will help the FDA to target imported foods that may pose a risk to public health.

Since this time the FDA has held several public meetings with industry and consumer groups on preventative control provisions of the law.  They have also reached out to state, federal, and foreign governments.

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