Rhode Island's Plan to Conform with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards

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Grant Proposal Abstract Title: Conformance with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) (U18). Funding Opportunity Announcement Number (FOA): RFA-FD-17-005 The RI Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection (CFP), proposes to develop and sustain a risk-based manufactured food regulatory program in RI to conform to national standards. This program will be based on best practices, and, at the end of the grant period of one year, will conform to the new 2016 FDA Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS). Meeting the Standards will ultimately protect the public and the industry by preventing foodborne illness from foods that are manufactured in RI. A MFRPS Coordinator will be responsible for managing the grant under the direction of the Principal Investigator to ensure conformance with the ten elements of the national program standards. Activities include the following: • a regulatory foundation equivalent to FDAs, which includes the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules • trained staff who will be qualified to inspect firms under the new FSMA rules • an inspection program that is comprehensive, effective, and risk-based • a quality assurance program that includes field, inspection report, and sample collection report auditing for continuous improvement • a comprehensive surveillance and rapid response program to detect, investigate, mitigate, and prevent foodborne illnesses and other food related hazards including intentional adulteration • a compliance and enforcement program that is consistent and effective • outreach and industry education to support implementation of new rules and provide targeted information for reduction of foodborne illness risk factors • good management of resources and leveraging to optimize their use • continuous self-assessment and strategic planning for quality improvement of the manufactured food program • laboratory support with routine surveillance and “for cause” sampling. All projects and work products will be shared with FDA and other states to support the national integration effort. RI will remain actively involved in national initiatives related to enhancement of MFRPS and will provide continued assistance to newer state programs who may benefit from RI's experience. The plan to conform to 2016 MFRPS includes assessment and updates to the strategic plan based upon accomplishments and new activities, such as the development of written policies and procedures, standard work instruction sheets, and improved data management. In addition to internal auditing, RI will work with the FDA Office of Partnerships and FDA/ORA Office of Operations Audit Staff to identify areas for improvement. The end result of the “Bridge Year” award will be a manufactured food program in RI that is able to sustain conformance with MFRPS and contribute to a nationally integrated food safety system.