Proposed regulations mandated by the Sanitary Food Transportation Act and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) hold powerful implications for the future of the cold chain industry. The business environment is shifting, and the proposed rule is just one piece of this changing landscape, as the industry experiences an overall increase in regulations, customer-required audits and augmented public pressure from food recalls.
The goal of the proposed rule on the sanitary transportation of human and animal food is to prevent practices that create food safety risks, such as failure to properly refrigerate food, inadequate cleaning of vehicles between loads and failure to properly protect food during transportation. According to FDA, the proposed regulations would help maintain the safety of both human and animal food during transportation by establishing criteria, conditions and practices, training and record keeping for the sanitary transportation of food. The proposed rule addresses the sanitary transportation of both human and animal food traveling via motor or rail vehicle by establishing criteria for the safe transportation of food.
Whether your business is focused on transportation, warehousing or logistics, or if you’re shipping, carrying or receiving food in the United States, you are likely to be impacted by this proposed rule. Meanwhile, best practices from the International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), a partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), Alexandria, Va., will focus on carriers.
Shippers
Under the proposed rule, a “shipper” is defined as a person who initiates a shipment of food by motor or rail vehicle (e.g., the food manufacturer who arranges for their food to be shipped).
One of the unique aspects of the third-party logistics industry is the fact that GCCA members very rarely take ownership of the food product that is being stored, handled or transported. The proposed rule does not seem to adequately recognize this situation and how responsibility flows through each step of the supply chain. This is particularly important when determining whom the “shipper” will be for purposes of the rule.