Do you import ingredients or animal food products into the United States?

If so, you may be subject to the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) rule. The FSVP rule is part of the regulations introduced by the FDA after passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in 2011.

For an overview of how the FSVP rule fits in with FDA regulations related to animal food, see our diagram below.

 

Does FSVP Apply?

The FSVP applies to businesses or individuals who import food or ingredients for consumption in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a document to help facilities determine if they’re subject to the FSVP regulation or modified requirements.Am I Subject to FSVP? (FDA)

Understanding FSVP

If your facility is subject to FSVP, the FDA has released a document that addresses the responsibilities of importers and suppliers who must comply with the FSVP.

Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals (FSVP) Regulation Records Requirements.

The guidance document lists the records that should be made and helps you answer common questions, including

1. Do I need to have a hazard analysis? How should the hazard analysis be done?
2. How do I evaluate foreign suppliers and what verification activities must I conduct?
3. How do corrective actions apply to a FSVP?
4. When a product is imported, how should the importer be identified?
5. How should my FSVP records be kept?

The guidance document also addresses some of the modified requirements applying to records, including answers to the following questions:

1. What requirements apply when I import a food that cannot be consumed without the hazards being controlled or for which the hazards are controlled after importation?
2. What FSVP must I have if I am importing a food subject to certain dietary supplement current good manufacturing practice regulations?
3. What FSVP may I have if I am a very small importer or if I am importing certain food from certain small foreign suppliers?
4. What FSVP may I have if I am importing certain food from a country with an officially recognized or equivalent food safety system?

Additional Information

Marissa Herchler Cohen NC State University Cooperative Extension Service Prestage Department of Poultry Science 234 D Scott Hall Raleigh, NC 27695-7608

E-mail: marissa_cohen@ncsu.edu
Phone: +1 919.515.5396