FDA Publishes Updates on Food Traceability Resources

As the Food and Drug Administration and industry prepare for implementation and compliance of the 204 Food Traceability Rule, the agency has been developing additional resources. On June 27^th, FDA published a series of resources on its website to aid industry compliance with the Food Traceability Rule. These resources include:

• A downloadable, electronic sortable spreadsheet template.
• Minor revisions to the Food Traceability List, clarifying the status of previously frozen foods, and a new FAQ summarizing these changes.
• A chart summarizing exemptions relevant to produce farms for both the Produce Safety Rule and the Food Traceability Rule.
• A supply chain example for sprouts.
• New translated material about the Traceability Lot Code and the Traceability Plan.

Additionally, the FDA announced a partnership with the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) to develop training for the food industry on the Food Traceability Rule. A team of experts from the FDA, industry, and academia will create training exercises to help industry personnel understand the rules’ requirements. Training is expected to be available by mid-2025.

GCCA appreciates the additional resources related to the rule but continues to have concerns with implementation of the rule. GCCA strongly supports the Food Traceability Enhancement Act that would require FDA to work with industry to conduct pilots related to the new rule and delay implementation while the results of the pilots are evaluated