FDA Issues the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals Final Guidance

On January 10^th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the final guidance for the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals. This guidance provides information to importers of human and animal food about how they can comply with the foreign supplier verification program (FSVP) regulation. It includes recommendations on the requirements to analyze the hazards in food; evaluate a potential foreign supplier’s performance and the risk posed by the food; and determine and conduct appropriate foreign supplier verification activities.

The final guidance includes the following changes:

• additional clarification on what food the FSVP regulation applies;
• what information must be included in the FSVP; and
• who must develop and perform FSVP activities.

Separately, FDA has collaborated with the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) to develop training materials to facilitate FSVP compliance by importers.

More information about this announcement can be found in FDA’s Constituent Update at FDA Issues the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals Final Guidance | FDA.