The 90-day enforcement discretion period for the FDA Reportable Food Registry (RFR) expired this week, meaning FDA will now begin enforcing food companies’ obligations under the new RFR rules.

In September, FDA launched the RFR as an online portal for those in the food industry to report food contamination if there is "a reasonable probability that an article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death." 

"The RFR was established by Congress in 2007 in the FDA Amendments Act, and became mandatory for all FDA-regulated foods - including fresh produce - on September 8," said Dr. David Gombas, united fresh senior vice president food safety and technology. "While farms are exempted from requirements under the RFR, packinghouses, processors, warehouses and other facilities required to register with FDA under the Bioterrorism Act are now required, by law, to submit information to the RFR within 24 hours if they find they have received or produced a food ingredient or product that could cause severe health consequences if eaten by humans or animals."

Officials from FDA provided briefings on the RFR to attendees during September's Washington Public Policy Conference, including members of United's Food Safety & Technology Council during a special town hall meeting at the administration's College Park, Md. facility.

For more information on the Reportable Food Registry, please contact Dr. Gombas at 202-303-3400, ext. 411.