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On Oct. 1, 2024, the FDA began implementing a reorganization impacting many parts of the agency. We are in the process of updating FDA.gov content to reflect these changes.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
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  3. Compliance & Enforcement (Food)
  4. Inspections to Protect the Food Supply
  5. Foreign Food Facility Inspection Program
  1. Inspections to Protect the Food Supply

Foreign Food Facility Inspection Program

FDA is increasing the number of routine inspections worldwide of foreign food facilities under the jurisdiction of the FDA that export to the United States (processors/manufacturers, packers/repackers, and holders of foods). This increase is mandated based on new requirements included in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), as enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by the President on January 4, 2011. FDA is also taking similar efforts with regard to domestic facilities to ensure that the U.S. food supply is safe.

Foreign food facility inspections are designed to:

  • Identify potential food safety problems before products arrive in the United States
  • Determine the compliance status of facilities to FDA’s requirements and food safety standards
  • Help the agency make admissibility decisions when food products are offered for importation into the United States
  • Help ensure that food products under FDA’s jurisdiction meet U.S. requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

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