Food safety.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the publication of two proposed rules regarding food safety. The two rules, required under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, deal with establishing and maintaining food-company records and isolating food that may pose a risk to public health.

The first rule would require that food companies keep records so that the FDA can track foods to their source in emergency situations--such as the release of contaminated food in a terrorist plot. Under the rule, manufacturers, processors, packers, distributors, receivers, holders, and importers of food would be required to keep records. These records would identify the immediate source of the food as well as the next recipient. The information contained in the records--the source's name and address as well as the type of food, the date received, the identifying number, the quantity, and the name and address of the transporter--could be kept in any form.

The second rule identifies and delineates the FDA's new authority to isolate and stop shipment of any article of food that poses a threat of serious health consequences or death. The quarantine must be based on credible evidence.

The two rules must be finalized by December 12, 2003, as set forth in the act.

@ Both rules are available at Security Management Online.