FDA Report on 5th Annual Review of Reportable Food Registry

FDA released their 5th annual report from entries into Reportable Food Registry.

The Reportable Food Registry (RFR or the Registry) is an electronic portal to which reports about instances of reportable food must be submitted to FDA. "A reportable food is an article of food/feed for which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, such article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals."

The findings in this report provide a summary of the issues experienced within the food supply chain. These issues are seen in the many recalls reported.

Highlights from Report:

SALMONELLA

• Overall, the 50 primary reports for Salmonella in Year 5 remained similar to the 58 primary reports observed in Year 4.
• Data from the fifth year of operation of the RFR indicates that spices and seasonings account for the majority of Salmonella-related reports.
• The largest decrease in Salmonella was observed in the animal food/feed (including pet food) commodity, with a total of 6 primary entries in Year 5 compared to 18 entries in Year 4, representing 31% of Salmonella entries in Year 4 and decreasing to 11.8% of total Salmonella entries in Year 5.

FDA Releases 4th Annual Reportable Food Registry Report

FDA released its 4th annual Reportable Food Registry Report. The Reportable Food Registry is "an electronic portal to which reports about instances of reportable food must be submitted to FDA within 24 hours by responsible parties and to which reports may be submitted by public health officials. A reportable food is an article of food/feed for which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, such article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals." 

So basically, it is a website for companies when companies find something bad in the food they purchase.  It has been a useful tool in that it often prevents issues from getting into the marketplace.

There were 202 original reports filed in the reporting period.  Animal food and feed accounted for the largest percentage of primary reports.

FDA Announces the 4th Annual Reportable Food Registry Report 

May 5, 2014

  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today made available the 4th Annual Reportable Food Registry (RFR) Report. The report summarizes the Registry’s fourth year of operation (September 8, 2012 – September 7, 2013) and finds that it logged in 1269 reports, including 202 primary reports—initial reports about a safety concern with a food or animal feed (including food ingredients); 849 subsequent reports from suppliers or recipients of a food or feed for which a primary report had been submitted; and 218 amended reports to correct or add information to previously submitted reports. Reports were received from both domestic and foreign sources. 

 

Reaching Consumers with Product Safety Information - A Challenge for FSMA Regulation

On March 26th, FDA issued advanced notice of their proposed Implementation of the Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act Amendments to the Reportable Food Registry Provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act(link). In summary, FDA is looking for a way to communicate food safety product notices (recalls) to consumers. The objectives are for companies to provide standardized information to FDA, FDA to develop a one-page recall notice regarding that food safety issue with a reportable food, and then that notice will then be distributed by the retail outlets, or grocery chains, to the consumers.

 

Sounds easy enough, however, there are many challenges in establishing a protocol that will work. Chiefly among them is the fact that consumers are not an easy group to reach with recall this type of information. So how do retailers do this to a point where it is not costly? And from a practical standpoint, will this mandated system have an impact compared to what currently happens today?

 

This has implications for the manufacturers, but more so for the grocery chains.

 

Here is a ‘quick’ summary, much taken directly from the seven page document published in the Federal Register.

FDA issues the Reportable Food Registry Annual Report

The Reportable Food Registry (RFR) is a portal established by FDA for parties to report food safety issues. “A reportable food is an article of food/feed for which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, such article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals.” This past year, there were 1095 submissions, slightly higher than last year. Of notable items resulting in recalls were Listeria detected in sliced onions, Salmonella in Mangoes, and undeclared milk in a snack bar. Looking at Table 5 Distribution of Primary RFR Entries by Commodity and Hazard- Year 3m, there are a few categories that are worth noting:

Bakery – Undeclared allergens (18)
Animal Feed – Nutrient unbalance (8), Salmonella (5), and drug contamination (4)
Confections – Undeclared allergens (11)
Dairy - Listeria (11) and Allergens (7)
Dressings – Undeclared allergens (5)
Nuts – Salmonella (8)
Fresh Cut Produce – Listeria (15) and Salmonella (6)
Produce RAC – Listeria (10) and Salmonella (22)
Snack foods – Undeclared Allergens (7)
Spices and Seasonings – Salmonella (5) and Allergens (3)

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ComplianceEnforcement/RFR/ucm200958.htm

FDA's Reportable Food Registry Report Provides Important Insight into Food Supply Issues

The FDA just released the second annual report for the Reportable Food Registry, RFR.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodSafetyPrograms/RFR/ucm200958.htm?source=govdelivery

The Reportable Food Registry is an electronic portal where food companies report issues with a food where that food is likely to cause illness. So if Company A ships nuts to Company B, and Company B tests those nuts and finds Salmonella, then by law, Company B must report this incident to the FDA via the Reportable Food Registry.

This has been a great tool in keeping unsafe food out of commerce. It allows FDA to use industry information to police the food supply chain.

Industry professions can see an important aspect of this RFR report is that it indicates where in the food system issues have occurred. Accordingly, companies who purchase products can look at this list and find issues with products or ingredients they use and then ensure these items are addressed through HACCP or a supplier control program. Here are some examples (Table 6) – undeclared allergens in bakery products, Salmonella in nuts, spices/seasonings, and produce, Listeria in prepared foods and dairy. Reports on Imported foods (Table 13) shows a slight increase from year 1 to 2 in total recalls, but certainly an increase in the number of Salmonella related issues coming in on imported foods. 

It is also important to note that the RFR can put companies at risk of being pulled into a recall. This was the case last year when Salmonella was discovered in hydrolyzed vegetable protein. And even with companies whose process rendered the ingredient as no risk (these companies were going to put the HVP into a product that was to be cooked), they still recalled product. Traceability is paramount in being able to quickly respond to a supplier issue that gets reported to FDA by another company.