Biennial registration renewal for food facilities began October 22, 2012 and must be completed by December 31. The FDA requirement for registration of food facilities has been updated by Section 102 of the Food Safety Modernization Act. For more detailed information, please visit the FDA website. Facilities with specific questions about registration should be directed to the FDA via www.fda.gov or by phone at (800) 216-7331 or (301) 575-0156.
What Has Changed?
- Registration renewal is now biennial, required from October 1st to December 31st of each even-numbered year.
- Email address is now a mandatory field. Concerns have been raised related to facilities that do not have email, but are required to register. At this time, there has been no communication for how processors without an email address can register.
- A statement indicating the FDA will be permitted to inspect registered facilities will be added to the registration.
- The food categories will be updated. This means facilities may need to select additional categories during renewal.
- Suspension of Registration has been added to FDA’s authority.
– Cause of Suspension – Reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals.
– Effect of Suspension – No person shall import or export, offer to import or export, or introduce food into interstate or intrastate commerce in the United States.
What Has Not Changed?
- Method of registration.
- There are no fees associated with registrations, renewals or updates to information.
- The criteria for entities that must register has not changed since 2003. Domestic or foreign facilities engaged in the manufacturing/processing, packing, or holding of food for consumption in the United States, whether or not the food from the facility enters interstate commerce.
(Source: Tim Slawinski, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development)
