FDA outlines new materials to help industry meet traceability requirements

The FDA has published new resources to help the industry comply Food traceability rule. These include:

Additionally, the FDA is working with the Alliance for Preventive Food Safety Controls (FSPCA) to develop training for the food industry on the Food Traceability Rule. Curriculum development was initiated by a team that included subject matter experts from FDA, industry and academia. The team is working to develop training exercises to help food industry personnel understand the requirements of the FDA’s Food Traceability Rule. The training is expected to be available by mid-2025.

The final rule for food traceability is an important part of the FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint and implements Section 204(d) of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The Food Traceability Rule requires individuals who produce, process, package or hold foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL) to maintain and provide specific information – called Key Data Elements or KDEs – to their supply chain partners for certain Critical Tracking Events or CTEs. in the food supply chain. This framework forms the basis for effective and efficient food tracking.

The following example discusses the critical tracking events in a supply chain where key data elements are required.

Used abbreviations:

• Key data elements or KDEs

• Critical tracking events or CTEs

• Food Traceability List or FTL

• Traceability Lot code or TLC

• Crude agricultural commodities or RACs

In this scenario, fresh sprouts are packaged by the sprout grower for retail sale. Key Data Elements (KDEs) are required for the fresh sprouts at the points indicated in the image. Seeds are not on the Food Traceability List, so the seed grower, seed breeder and seed supplier are not covered by the rule. As the primary packer of the sprouts, the sprouter must maintain certain KDEs related to growing, conditioning, packaging and delivering the seeds. All entities in blue are covered by the rule and, in addition to the KDEs, must maintain a Traceability Plan.

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