GCCA Joins Coalition Asking FDA to Continue Inspection Preannouncements

GCCA joined industry partners from the Food and Beverage Issue Alliance in requesting that FDA consider continuing the preannouncement of routine food inspections post-pandemic, given the preventive approach our companies have implemented as mandated under FSMA. Industry believes this would provide efficiencies that benefit both FDA and the regulated industry.  The letter explains that companies want to make the right staff available to FDA during inspections which cannot always be achieved when inspection teams arrive unannounced.  In addition, FDA needs to review documents and records during inspections, which must be gathered and collated after the inspection team arrives when inspections are not preannounced, extending the length of the inspection by several hours or more.  It is also important to recognize that firms are inspected by State agencies and conduct their own internal audits and/or hire third parties to perform audits during any given year. When multiple audit/inspection teams are onsite at the same time, delays can occur as farm or facility staff juggle multiple requests for information at the same time; preannouncement of FDA inspections helps companies prevent such situations and delays. Additionally, continuing to preannounce domestic food inspections would create parity with routine international food inspections, which are preannounced.