In May 2011 the Food and Drug Administration issued an interim final rule requiring persons submitting a prior notice of imported food, including food for animals, to report the name of any country to which the food has been refused entry. FDA is now announcing that the discretionary period of enforcement of this requirement will end Sept. 6.
FDA states that enforcement of this rule will begin Sept. 6 and will help the agency make better informed decisions in managing the potential risks of imported food. FDA explained when it issued the rule that in light of the volume of prior notices being submitted – more than ten million in 2010 – requiring notice of prior refusals will allow it to better identify imported food shipments that may pose safety and security risks to U.S. consumers.
