SILVER SPRING, MD. — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized its Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals guidelines July 6. The guidelines aim to help animal food production facilities comply to the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls requirements.
The resource, called Guidance for Industry (GFI) #245, focuses on how to create a cohesive food safety plan by focusing on minimizing hazards that could cause foodborne illnesses and injury to people and animals. GFI #245 provides guidance on:
- Recognizing and evaluating biological, chemical, radiological and physical agents that could pose as hazards in the manufacturing, processing, holding and packaging of animal foods
- Identifying and implementing preventive controls for hazards that require such measures
- Managing preventive controls, including monitoring, corrective actions and verification/validation
- Record-keeping requirements related to a food safety plan and clear implementation of the food safety plan
The FDA originally released a draft of GFI #245 in January 2018, but stakeholder comments and concerns necessitated an updated version. Based on comments, the agency removed Appendix E of the draft, called “Aid to Identifying Animal Food Hazards,” and created Chapter 3, which focuses on hazards and includes resources, examples and information on hazards, including animal food recall information.
Read the FDA’s full GFI #245.
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