Food Safety

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

FDA Launches FSMA, Produce Safety Rule Webpages to Provide Information on the Food Safety Modernization Act
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a FSMA landing page to help stakeholders more easily access information and resources about the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act to help them comply the rules.


The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law in 2011, is the most comprehensive, far-reaching food safety law ever enacted, and it touches on virtually every aspect of the food supply chain, including distribution. CDA issued a white paper and hosted a three-part Food Safety for Distributors webinar series designed to help distributors understand many of the complex food safety requirements for their companies, as well as important compliance dates and deadlines. The webinar recordings are available for on-demand viewing by CDA members. Please login to view them.


Does Your Company Have a "Preventive Controls Qualified Individual" (PCQI)?

All U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-regulated facilities are required to have at least one designated preventive controls qualified individual (PCQI). The FDA has funded a program to train PCQIs, operated by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA).

The FSPCA partnered with the FDA to develop the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Course. This training course, which utilizes the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA, is intended to meet the PCQI requirements. Dates, locations and details for upcoming Preventive Controls for Human Food courses, which are open for enrollment, can be found on the FSPCA website. Additionally, Alchemy, a food safety training company, offers FSPCA-approved eLearning and classroom training options.

Who should enroll in the course and successfully complete the training to become a PCQI?
Personnel primarily responsible for managing the facility's food safety plan, such as those with authority and supervisory roles over warehouse employees, operations and food safety issues.

What will attendees learn?

  • resources for and preliminary steps in developing a food safety plan
  • types of hazards, conducting a hazard analysis, preventive controls for hazards
  • monitoring preventive controls, verification and validation, and corrective actions/corrections
  • recordkeeping
  • regulatory requirements

CDA will continue to work with the FDA to update CDA members on this complex issue.

**Disclaimer: This information does not constitute legal advice. CDA members are strongly encouraged to consult their legal advisors on legal and regulatory compliance issues related to their businesses.