 The FDA is working to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and keep you and your family informed on the latest developments. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions from consumers about foods and the food supply. Q: What is the FDA's role in helping to ensure the safety of the human and animal food supply? A: To protect public health, the FDA monitors domestic firms and the foods that they produce. The FDA also monitors imported products and foreign firms exporting to the United States. The FDA protects consumers from unsafe foods through research and methods development; inspection and sampling; and regulatory and legal action. Q: Why is the FDA providing flexibility to food manufacturers, under limited circumstances during the COVID-19 public health emergency, to make minor changes in ingredients without reflecting those changes on the package label? A: Due to limited shortages of specific ingredients and foods, or unexpected supply-chain disruptions in some industries, food manufacturers may need to make small changes to some ingredients during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Manufacturers may not be able to relabel their products to reflect these minor changes on the food label without slowing down the processing or distribution of the food. To avoid slowing down food processing or distribution during the coronavirus pandemic, the FDA issued a guidance, Temporary Policy Regarding Certain Food Labeling Requirements During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Minor Formulation Changes and Vending Machines. The temporary policy provides food manufacturers with flexibility to make minor formulation changes in certain, limited circumstances without making conforming label changes on packages as long as any substitutions or omissions of ingredients do not pose a health or safety issue (such as allergens), and do not cause significant changes in the finished product. For more information, please see: | 
No comments:
Post a Comment