Grocery Manufacturers Association Comments on FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Implementation

Dr. Bruner: “By requiring that all imported food and food ingredients be produced in accordance with U.S. requirements, this new law will help to maintain a safe and reliable supply chain to further reduce the frequency and impact of product recalls and food borne illnesses."

3/31/2011 --- In comments before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s public meeting on the import safety provisions of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, Dr. Leon Bruner, Chief Science Officer for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), stressed the importance of enhancing the safety and reliability of the supply chain for imported food and food ingredients.

"The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) provisions that will further improve the safety of our imported food and food ingredients are critically important components of this historic Act,” said Dr. Bruner.  “By requiring that all imported food and food ingredients be produced in accordance with U.S. requirements, this new law will help to maintain a safe and reliable supply chain to further reduce the frequency and impact of product recalls and food borne illnesses.  These efforts will, in turn, bolster consumer confidence in the safety of our nation’s food supply.”

“As FDA implements the import safety provisions of FSMA, GMA urges the Agency to do so in a deliberative manner that is practical, efficient and science-based,” remarked Bruner.

“FSMA represents the most comprehensive reform of our nation’s food safety laws in more than 70 years and as FDA works through its implementation, GMA and its member companies look forward to continuing the productive working relationship with FDA that helped to make this landmark food safety law a reality,” continued Bruner.

“GMA is comprised of producers, packagers and others who produce and sell food, beverages, and other packaged consumer goods.  Ensuring the safety of our products – and maintaining the confidence of consumers – is the single most important goal of our industry.  Product safety is the foundation of consumer trust, and our industry devotes enormous resources to ensure that our products are safe.  Our companies continuously review and monitor all emerging science and scientific studies and incorporate these as warranted into our manufacturing practices to help ensure that we are always producing the safest possible product for our consumers,” concluded Dr. Bruner.