The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a final rule requiring that manufacturers and processors of human food and cosmetics that are manufactured from, processed with, or otherwise contain, material from cattle establish and maintain records sufficient to demonstrate that the human food or cosmetic is not manufactured form, processed with, or does not otherwise contain, prohibited cattle materials.
Manufacturers are, therefore, required to provide recordkeeping that documents the provisions of the FDA's interim rule entitled "Use of Materials Derived from Cattle in Human Food and Cosmetics." According to the FDA, manufacturers need to comply with the requirements to ensure that their products do not contain prohibited cattle materials.
The rule is another traceability requirement under the Bioterrorism Act. Traceability records allow manufacturers and regulators to track food from the source to the consumer. The FDA is then able to locate where food safety violations occur and make recalls if necessary. The recordkeeping provisions apply to food additives, dietary supplements and dietary ingredients. The FDA will reportedly publish guidance describing the types of records that would comply with the rule. For more information, visit www.fda.gov.
-Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association
