Alaska FSS Preventive Controls Expansion and Integration Project

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The proposed preventive controls expansion project is intended to facilitate and expedite the complete integration of the preventive controls for human food (PCHF) rules into Alaska’s manufactured food regulatory program framework. This will enhance the program in its mission to prevent and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks, by maintaining conformance with the manufactured food regulatory program standards (MFRPS), and supporting the development of a nationally integrated food safety system (IFSS) and mutual reliance between state manufactured food programs and FDA. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation-Food Safety & Sanitation Program (ADEC-FSS) has already begun the process of integration Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) into its program policies and procedures developed under the related MFRPS cooperative agreement (RFA-FD-18-001). This project will focus on several main areas where work remains, including staff training, auditing, infrastructure development, outreach, inspections (including sampling and cooperative workplanning with FDA) and policy analyses. ADEC-FSS will fully train one inspector to perform full-scope preventive controls (PC) inspections in addition to the one inspector that is already qualified. In addition, two auditors will be trained during this project. A third inspector and auditor will also begin training. The project will support further expansion of the program’s information management capabilities, adding an inspection module and risk tool for PC inspections, and developing data sharing with FDA via the National Food Safety Data Exchange. These developments will allow the program to increase the number of PC inspections done annually FSS will evaluate and possibly expand the capacity of the Environmental Health Lab (EHL) to test samples in conjunction with these inspections. FSS will also expand outreach to industry, including hosting an annual food safety conference for processors with a focus on PCHF topics. Finally, FSS will evaluate other applicable FSMA rules and determine if adoption or updating existing regulations is necessary. Alaska has developed its programmatic framework systems based upon the MFRPS with sustainability in mind. Alaska’s progress on the incorporation of PCHF into its current, MFRPS-based framework will be assessed and captured during program assessments and audits, conducted by FDA, and in regular reports required, if funded.