Food Safety Magazine, October/November 2011

Funding

Unlike many other programs around the country, Georgia has not experienced severe budgets cuts to its manufactured foods program. Cuts have come across the board to all agencies but not to food safety. Regardless of the size of the cuts, unless adjustments are made, programs suffer; thus, they must evaluate what they do, why they do it and how they can better protect public health. A true risk-based inspection is the answer to resource problems, but its development is not an overnight process by any means. To be truly effective, it must be continually evaluated and improved upon based on advances in food science. At the infant stage of implementation, a baseline must be established to inventory a firm’s preventive controls, including implementation of food safety plans, process approvals and verification, unannounced third-party audits, SSOPs and product and environmental testing programs. There are many other factors to be considered, and finally, a ranking system must be developed to include preventive controls, past compliance issues, recalls and an assortment of other criteria. The facilities will basically fall in one of three categories with resources allotted based on the risk of product and preventive controls in place. This process sets forth a system to develop industry partnerships with companies committed to food safety and focus resources on facilities needing extra attention.

With the implementation of the FSMA, FDA must partner with states to meet the new inspection mandates. Most states currently inspect manufactured food facilities at least once per year. According to an AFDO resource survey, 90 percent of food safety inspections conducted in this country are performed by state and local jurisdictions. The FSMA allows FDA to make investments in state programs to build capacity. This investment must be tied to the MFRPS. As a state develops improvement plans for its program, funds must be made available to meet these plans. Again, this will take time, but we must begin immediately with the resources available.

Conclusion

As food safety programs nationwide continue to change and adapt to the ever-moving world of protecting our food supply, we must continue to improve on the process. When we look at the basic principles outlined in the FSMA, states must work with federal agencies to expand partnerships, enhance accountability through inspections, gain compliance and improve quick response to outbreaks. Federal agencies must focus on import safety in order to create a truly preventive food safety system. As we continue to implement advanced approaches to food safety, the ability of federal agencies to infuse state programs with additional funds will be critical. Enhanced funding of state programs will also be necessary to maintain resources and educate public health professionals, which is one of the most important aspects in keeping up with the curve. Making progress will require continued research and development of new technologies and rapid detection methods. As we move forward with the advancement of these programs, all stakeholders must continue to educate as we regulate to make our food as safe as possible. n

“
”
“As food safety programs
nationwide continue
to change to adapt to
the ever-moving world
of protecting our food
supply, we must continue
to improve on the
process.”
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Oscar Garrison is the director of the consumer protection division at the Georgia Department of Agriculture and serves as the president of the Association of Food and Drug Officials of the United States.