On 13th July FDA published a great blueprint: New Era for Smarter Food Safety. With this 20-page booklet they presented the willingness and encourangement to use the latest technologies and tools for food safety.  For sure pandemic accelerated this process as FDA also conducted remote inspections of certain importers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will research the 4 core elements FDA focused on and will show how you can success these procedures with Wremia Project Management. 

1. Tech-enabled Traceability
2. Smarter Tools and Approaches for Prevention and Outbreak Response
3. New Business Models and Retail Modernization
4. Food Safety Culture

Basis of the requirement

Before the details we need to understand how FDA started to conduct this research. What basis arised the need for a next-level techology attack on food safety? FDA clearly declared the basis as following:

• Modern times require modern approaches
• COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for more real-time, data-driven, nimble approaches to help ensure a strong and resilient food system
• Leveraging technology and other tools to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system
  
• This New Era of Smarter Food Safety is people-led, FSMA-based and technology-enabled
  

Encouraged Technologies for Companies

The paper doesnot only consis plans for FDA and legal authorities but also encouragements for private companies.

• Mobile inspection technologies
• Remote / Visual  inspections
• Sensor technologies
• Data-analysis
• Computer-based learning
• Paper work to Digital works

1.Tech-enabled Traceability

Food safety systems (current QMS actually) still highly dependent on hard-copy documents. FDA accepts this and encourages a nimble, resilient, and interoperable food system. Tracilibility problem has been detected for a long-time and any food quality system introduce it as a risk item. However, till now non of them doesnot put an action plan for the issue. 

At his point FDA developed 3-step approach:

1. Developing Foundational Components which will enable the whole sector speaking the same (data) language, encouraging all shareholders and playing a leader role in this transformation.
2. Encourage and Incentivize Industry Adoption of New Technologies: Promoting industry adoption and integration with tech-companies and solutions. Creating low-cost solutions in this manner.
3. Leveraging the Digital Transformation 

2. Smarter Tools and Approaches for Prevention and Outbreak Response

It underlines the importance of new data-technologies ie blockhain, artifical intelligence and and big-data which might help industry to avoid identified risks and can provide more robust data for predictive analytics.These tools and approaches will also inform FDA and our regulatory partners’ approach to inspections, outbreak response and recall modernization.

FDA divided this section into 6 subtitles:

1. Invigorate Root Cause Analyses
2. Strengthen Predictive Analytics Capabilities
3. Domestic Mutual Reliance
4. Inspection, Training, and Compliance Tools
5. Outbreak Response
6. Recall Modernization

3.New Business Models and Retail Modernization

New business models like online shopping and new delivery services (like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash)  would be included into the food safety system.

1. Ensure Safety of Food Produced or Delivered Using New Business Models
2. Modernize Traditional Retail Food Safety Approaches

4. Food Safety Culture

A detailed plan given on the paper to change consumer the behaviour in terms of food safety. FDA even plans to encourage and work with influencers like chiefs, bloggers and celebrities after ensuring adequate education, training and inspections.

1. Promote Food Safety Culture Throughout the Food System
2. Further Promote Food Safety Culture Throughout the Agency
3. Develop and Promote a Smarter Food Safety Consumer Education Campaign

Here you can find the full paper on FDA's web-site. Then we will be waiting for you to guest in the new era for smarter food safety.