FSMA Rule 204 Updated: What Restaurants Need to Know Right Now

5 Min Read By Ryan Yost

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in January of 2011 and expanded the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s authority to regulate the way foods are grown, harvested and processed. The FSMA 204 has already been launched, and the final section of the law, FSMA 204, will come into effect in 2023 with a food traceability record compliance date of 2025. This last initiative is perhaps the most urgent for food businesses and requires immediate attention. FSMA Rule 204 allows the FDA to request Critical Tracking Events (CTE) and the business must respond within 24 hours.  The FDA Food Traceability list includes food items such as leafy greens, tomatoes, melons, tomatoes, nut butters, ready-to-eat deli salads, finfish and crustaceans, and all types of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, among nearly twenty categories of common fresh and processed foods.

Therefore, across the supply chain, food industry leaders need to prepare now – and that includes restaurant…