FDA withdraws proposed rules on food standards modernization for re-evaluation

U.S – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn the 2005 proposed rule titled “Food Standards; General Principles and Food Standards Modernization” in response to comments that were submitted both in 2005 following the publication of the proposed rule and in 2020 following the FDA’s reopening of the comment period.

FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) jointly published a proposed rule with the intention of establishing a set of general guidelines to be used when deciding whether to establish, modify, or eliminate a food standard.

Adherence to these principles will result in standards that will better promote honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers and protect the public, allow for technological advances in food production, be consistent with international food standards to the extent feasible, and be clear, simple, and easy to use for both manufacturers and the agencies that enforce compliance with the standards.

Stakeholders said that given the changes in manufacturing, food technology, market patterns, and nutrition research since 2005, FDA should seek out new data and information to decide the next steps for the proposed rule in public meetings scheduled by the agency in July 2018 and September 2019.

As a result of this feedback, FDA reopened the comment period for the proposed rule’s FDA-specific elements in February 2020.

To make the general ideas simpler to comprehend and put into practice, many of the comments suggested that they be changed and consolidated.

In accordance with their agreement, FDA and FSIS are withdrawing the proposed rule to reevaluate the best general principles and modernization of food standards in accordance with the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The Fall Unified Agenda featured a cooperative initiative between the FDA and USDA to produce a new proposed rule on the guiding principles for modernizing food standards.

The Biden Administration’s Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Agenda) reports on the actions administrative agencies plan to issue in the near and long term.

Released by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the Agenda provides important public notice and transparency about proposed regulatory and deregulatory actions within the Executive Branch.

The Regulatory Information Service Center (RISC) was created in June 1981. The Center undertakes projects that will facilitate the development of and access to information about Federal regulatory and deregulatory activities.

The Center’s principal publication is the Unified Agenda in coordination with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Since 1978, Federal agencies have been required by Executive orders to publish agendas of regulatory and deregulatory activities.

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