FDA Releases Produce Regulatory Program Standards

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in collaboration with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) and state produce inspection programs, announced the establishment of new regulatory program standards for produce Feb. 24.

The Produce Regulatory Program Standards (PRPS) provide a uniform foundation across government produce regulators to advance an integrated food safety system that leverages collaboration and resources among federal, state, local and tribal agencies to protect public health, said the agency.

Improving the safety of fruits and vegetables is a priority for FDA, given that vegetables and fruits are essential components of a nutrient-dense, whole foods diet, as emphasized in the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, said the agency. The PRPS is designed to provide a consistent framework for government agencies who have regulatory oversight and responsibility over their respective jurisdiction’s farms, produce commodities and activities covered under the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule.  

These are the latest regulatory program standards to be developed as part of a standards framework that is comprised of best practices related to prevention, intervention and response activities, said FDA. Other regulatory program standards exist for manufactured food, animal food, eggs and retail food safety.

FDA said the use of the PRPS may:

• Enhance capacities of produce regulatory programs
• Promote program consistency and workforce training, furthering an Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS)
• Assist programs in developing risk-based inspection and sampling protocols
• Provide a mechanism to build a quality management system to measure performance improvement and accountability

By achieving conformance with these standards, federal and state programs will be better equipped to reduce illness and outbreaks related to produce, said the agency.  

For more information, visit Produce Regulatory Program Standards (PRPS).