| Title: | FDA Soliciting Feedback on Upcoming Sampling Assignments |
|---|---|
| Date: | 2015-09-04 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, original, next |
Beginning in FY2016, FDA will initiate the next group of microbiological surveillance sampling assignments. The FY2016 assignments, which will issue concurrently, will focus on raw, whole, fresh cucumbers, and raw, whole, fresh hot peppers and help increase FDAs understanding of sources/practices that contribute to contamination and address public health risks.
The new microbiological surveillance sampling model involves focusing surveillance sampling resources on those foods that pose the greatest public health risk, collecting a statistically significant number of samples over a shorter period of time, typically 12 months, and establishing standardized, transparent, and collaborative processes and communications.
The FDA is working to engage stakeholders on the hot pepper and cucumber assignments and provide information about the upcoming assignments and identify any major concerns.
The outreach team is soliciting feedback to ensure that these sampling assignments are accomplished as effectively and efficiently as possible and with minimal impact to affected industry. Constructive feedback could include, but is not limited to, recommendations on how to assure the efficiency of sample collection (for both industry and regulators), input on any anticipated challenges with sample collection for this particular assignment / commodities, feedback on additional factors that we should take into account when reviewing the results of this assignment (e.g. domestic/import, country/state, season, variety), input on existing sampling information or research on these commodities (including academia, industry, state sampling) that we could take into account, feedback on any food safety initiatives specific to these commodities, input on additional groups/organizations that you are aware of that we should include in this outreach, or any major concerns that FDA could take into consideration for the cucumber and hot peppers sampling assignments.
FDA is requesting feedback be sent to FDAFutureStateEngagement@fda.hhs.gov no later than September 18, 2015. FDA will review the stakeholder input, determine if any updates should be incorporated into the assignments, and finalize the assignments. The FDA will then provide final assignment information to external stakeholders prior to assignment execution.