What are the obligations for brewers under the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act)?

 

January 4th 2011 marks the biggest re-model in the US food safety laws in over a century.

On this date the the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) signed the FSMA into law.

Promoting the safety of the US food supply and protecting public health.

Both domestic and foreign food/ drink processors are proactively managed from this day forward on all hazards related to the manufacture, transport, storage & packaging of FDA-regulated food/drink products produced for consumption by humans and/or animals.

Compliance is monitored and enforced.

Exemptions apply for specific types of business including alcoholic beverage producing entities.

 

Title 21 of United States Code, Chapter 9, Subchapter 2, Section 321, paragraph f:

“The term ‘food’ means (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals, (2) chewing gum, and (3) articles used for components of any such article.”

 

As you see above Title 21 defines beverages as food, seen as we drink beer, breweries now fall under FDA regulation, bringing a whole new level of rules to the table.

 

Even though it is difficult for most human harming pathogens to survive the processes involved in making alcoholic beverages food safety hazards are not necessarily minimized.

Chemical and physical hazards can enter the final products either through the supply chain or during the brewing process.

 

Your brewery is required under the FSMA to have a comprehensive food safety plan in place, your brewery is also required to have all staff involved in any aspect of the food/drink production process sufficiently trained in food safety including personal and workplace hygiene regardless of the size of your brewery.

 

American HACCP can train your staff adequately and provide your brewery with a fully managed HACCP plan to comply with current laws, rules and regulations.

 

Currently small brewpubs are exempt from the FSMA final rules ONLY if they sell the on-site brewed beer to a customer on these premisses.

Compliance with the FDA food code designed for the food service industry is still required.

The moment a brewpub sells a beer brewed on site to another bar, retail outlet etc. they are to comply with applicable FSMA rules.

 

September 18th 2018 was the last day for any eligible business to comply with the FSMA regulations.

The FDA has started enforcement of the FSMA and breweries that are not in proper compliance will receive fines.

 

Here at American HACCP we are committed to helping breweries comply with all the current rules and regulations related to food safety.

 

Let us take the hassle out of HACCP so you can do what you do best:

Brew us some delicious beer.

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