Food Safety in Manufacturing

2011 FDA FSMA Regulations: From Response to Prevention

Prior to the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) enactment in 2011, regulators were reacting to instances of foodborne illness in the United States, and playing clean up, attempting to contain the rising public health problem. Essentially, consumer safety — human and pet alike — was only a concern after a foodborne illness was already present in the food system.  Luckily, Congress and the FDA agreed changes needed to be made in order to protect the United States’ food system and economic well-being. The change from previous food safety regulations to FSMA largely involves providing oversight to manufacturers of food to prevent food borne illness before it happens, shifting the attention from reaction/response to prevention.  

With FSMA, the FDA outlined 7 major rules growers, producers, harvesters, and processors must be in compliance with in order to manufacture food in the United States. These rules encompass supply-chain to farm to fork and ensure every aspect of production is reviewed for its potential as a public health hazard. FSMA ensures consumers that manufacturers have food safety systems in place to protect their product and consumers from foodborne illness. In short, foodborne illnesses pose significant risk to pet and public health; the good news is foodborne illnesses are largely preventable under FSMA statutes. Because the FDA is forcing regulatory obligations on all growers, harvesters, processors, and transporters of food, you can sit comfortably knowing that your food — and your pet’s supplements — have undergone a variety of steps to prevent any foodborne illnesses.  

FSMA is also intended to protect human dietary supplements and dosage form animal health products such as Canna Companion products. The FSMA rules have major implications for manufacturing companies across the United States. Companies must provide evidence to regulating agencies such as the FDA that they are putting controls in place within their manufacturing facilities in order to protect the safety and quality of their products for the consumer.    

At Canna Companion, we take your pets’ health seriously, and instituted a variety of protocols including:  

• Third-party testing on all ingredients and final products including microbial, pesticide, and heavy metal analyses; 
• Yearly food safety training for all production employees whereby employees who make your pets’ hemp supplements receive the same certification as WA-state food workers;
• Cleaning and environmental procedures designed to prevent microbial growth using eco and pet-friendly means.