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Issue Number: Council I 042

Title

Creation of Distribution and Storage, Transportation and Delivery Committee

Issue you would like the Conference to consider

Food Safety and the prevention of food borne illnesses requires product protection, temperature control and other control steps throughout the food chain (from farm to fork). The process of distribution of food, food packaging, and sanitation chemicals to retail is one area that has been identified by studies (Interstate Food Transportation Project by Michigan Department of Agriculture and others), in publications (see attachments: 1) Food Safety Magazine - Maintaining the Cold Chain. 2) Food Logistics - Cold Chain Champions), and by the media (ABC News and Indiana videos available upon request) as one with food safety risks and opportunities. While Regulations are expected to be forthcoming via the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)/Safe Food Transportation Act (SFTA), there exists a need to define and promulgate best practices and guidance documents in areas like temperature control, allergens, product protection, and other areas.

Public Health Significance

Products must be protected from contamination, temperature abuse, and microbial growth to prevent food borne illnesses. Industry, Regulatory, Academia, Consumer Organizations, and others collaborating together to identify best practices assure these protections will add additional levels of food safety and consumer protection to the food chain.

Recommended Solution: The Conference recommends...

the creation of a Distribution and Storage, Transportation and Delivery Committee. The Committee will be composed of Conference members from all constituencies especially subject matter experts in distribution, logistics and transportation. The Committee will be charged with:

1) Defining the scope of the distribution industry that will be addressed by the Committee, and identifying risks and opportunities for the Conference,

2) Soliciting best practices and existing documents that relate to distribution and storage of foods including Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and other Standards to recommend best practices to the Conference,

3) Engaging with Federal and State agencies, especially those involved in Food Safety Moderization Act (FSMA)/Safe Food Transportation Act (SFTA) or existing transportation inspection programs, to align proposed committee recommendations with regulatory requirements as they may be promulgated,

4) Reporting back to the 2014 Biennial Meeting summarizing its activities and recommending best practices in the areas of distribution and storage, transportation and delivery, and

5) Submitting Issues to the 2014 Biennial Meeting to recommend new FDA Food Code language and/or identify new charges for the Committee, if any.

Attachments

Word File