The first, the "FDA and USDA Inspection Manual for Foodservice Distributors," provides up-to-date guidance on distributor rights and responsibilities in handling a visit from food safety regulators.
The manual was crafted in response to passage of the Bioterrorism Act of 2002, and serves as a critical tool for the foodservice industry to cope with the anticipated increase in food inspections. Foodservice distributors can use the manual as a template for establishing a new set of procedures or can compare the manual guidance to existing programs to find ways to enhance procedures.
The manual provides details on advance preparation for FDA or USDA inspections including designating an Inspection Team and Inspection Coordinator(s) and establishing policies regarding the various issues likely to arise during an inspection. The manual also explains the highlights of the inspection: the greeting of the inspector, the pre-inspection conference, sample collection, the post-inspection conference, the Form FDA-483, as well as special settings and circumstances for inspections. Finally, this manual discusses actions a company should take after the inspection: obtaining copies of sample test results and the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) and responding to a Form FDA-483.
The second manual, "Effective Recall Management for Foodservice Distributors," provides guidance that can improve a company's existing processes for product recall or market withdrawal and details new requirements that exist under the Bioterrorism Act.
In the heightened state of agency and consumer concerns about food safety, this manual provides important insights in how to deal with suppliers, customers, regulators, and the media, as well as how to minimize business disruptions. The manual contains a comprehensive explanation of rules and regulator schemes relating to recalls, provides important guidance on conducting recalls in a timely and efficient manner, and captures industry best practices in recall management.
Both manuals were produced under the guidance of the IFDA Food Safety and Security Committee and were made possible by funding from the IFDA Foundation for Education and Research supported by Kraft Foodservice, Land O' Lakes, Inc., Unilever Foodsolutions, Doerle Food Services, Inc., Silliker and Sysco Corp.
IFDA members can purchase each manual for $175 per copy and non-IFDA members for $525 per copy.
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