FSIS to Host Public Meeting on the Future of Consumer Education

FSIS is hosting a virtual public meeting to discuss the future of consumer education, with participation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Partnership for Food Safety Education, on October 6, 2020, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST.

The goal of the meeting is to establish a comprehensive understanding of how consumers handle and prepare food today to better understand the most effective approach for consumer outreach and education for the future. Consumer research is the backbone of FSIS’ educational outreach and participants will hear about recent research and upcoming studies during the public meeting. FSIS uses research to assess whether its food safety messaging meets the needs of the consumer to handle foods more safely. This data-driven approach allows FSIS to refine its consumer outreach.

Participants must pre-register for the meeting. FSIS invites those interested in public health and advancing food safety to comment on activities and research that promote safe consumer food handling. Interested parties should submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov, docket number FSIS-2020-0026, by October 9. If you would like your comment to be considered for the “public comment” period of the meeting, please submit your comment on or before September 18. Comments should be submitted online via the federal eRulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov; by mail to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, D.C., 20250-3700. All items submitted by mail or electronically must include the agency name and docket number FSIS-2020-0026.

Tips for Faster Label Approval Process

Labels are currently taking about 5-7 business days to evaluate. 

TIP: Establishments must submit a new label application in order to request an extension of the expiration date of an existing temporary label approval. 

Temporary label approvals may be granted for labels that bear certain labeling deficiencies under the conditions described in 9 CFR 412.1(f). Although FSIS may grant a temporary label approval for up to 180 days, there are situations when an extension of the original temporary approval expiration date is necessary, such as situations when additional time is needed to prevent undue economic hardship.

To request an extension of a temporary label approval, establishments must submit a new label application either electronically through the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS) or via paper application, FSIS Form 7234-1. When submitting a request for an extension of a temporary approval using LSAS, the application should include the original reason for temporary approval and indicate the reason for the request for an extension. A description of the new circumstances for which additional time is needed can be described in the text box in the “Temporary” section of the “Label Approval” menu or in a separate attachment. Paper label applications must include the reason for temporary approval and for the extension on the Continuation Sheet on page 4 or in an attached document. The extension of temporary approval application must also address the four criteria for temporary label approval described in 9 CFR 412.1(f)(1)(i-iv). Requests for an extension of temporary label approval may not be submitted via email or LSAS Messages.

It is important that the establishment update the number of impacted labels on hand, include the prior temporary approval number and provide the amount of additional time requested to use the non-compliant labels. This information should be completed in the “Label Approval” section of LSAS after selecting “Extension of Temporary” as the label approval type, or by completing all of the fields in Box 6b of FSIS Form 7234-1.

For assistance when applying for a temporary label approval or an extension of temporary approval in LSAS, please see the “Approval Information” section in the user guide beginning on page 119 at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/import/LSAS-Industry-User-Guide-063015.pdf.

Additional information about temporary label approval, can be found on the FSIS website at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/compliance-guidance/labeling.

FSIS will continue to provide updates regarding label turnaround time, as well as suggestions to assist industry to streamline label submissions in its Constituent Update.

Policy Update

FSIS notices and directives on public health and regulatory issues are available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy. The following policy update was recently issued:

Docket No. FSIS-2020-0026 - Food Safety: Consumer Outreach and Education Today and for the Future

Export Requirements Update

The Library of Export Requirements has been updated for the following countries:

• Belarus 
• Chile 
• China, People’s Republic of
• Guatemala 
• India 
• Japan 
• New Zealand 
• Panama 
• Solomon Islands

Complete information can be found at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/import-export.