Food Safety Recognition Agreement

New Zealand this week was the first country in the world to sign an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which recognizes the other`s food safety systems as a comparable level of food safety. 5.5 The Participants intend to cooperate to ensure that responses to any problems that arise in such re-evaluations, audits or audits are risk-based and results-oriented and reflect the high level of knowledge, confidence and experience that each has in the other country`s food security system. `system recognition assessment` means an assessment of the entire food safety system to determine whether the systems offer a comparable level of food safety control. 5.2 It is expected that such a re-evaluation, review or audit will focus on substantial changes in food safety systems. Each participant intends to fund its own expenses related to such a reassessment, verification or audit. “The agreement with New Zealand is part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the global food safety network through closer cooperation with regulators around the world, which is highlighted in the FDA`s Pathway to Global Product Safety and Quality report,” said Michael R. Taylor, FDA Assistant Commissioner for Food. 1.1 This Agreement sets out the principles and areas of cooperation between the FDA and the Canadian Participants with respect to public health and consumer protection with respect to food traded between the two countries, as well as in all areas of mutual interest in food safety. `food` means 1. all articles used as a human food or drink, (2) chewing gum and (3) all articles used for the components of such an article; “System recognition agreements are very important for MPI to achieve one of our key strategic objectives, which is to maximize export opportunities by recognizing the credibility of our food safety controls by other countries,” says Barnao. Prior to entering into a system recognition agreement with Canada, the FDA conducted an evidence-based assessment of Canada`s food safety system. We used the International Comparability Assessment Tool (ICAT) to assess all aspects of the system, from the regulatory basis to training, inspection and compliance programs, to the study of outbreaks and traceability to find contaminated food sources.

on-site audits were an important part of the evaluation process; These audits allowed the FDA to see first-hand how Canada is implementing the programs they described in ICAT, and Canada has conducted a similar review of how the FDA manages its food safety programs. . . .