NW Reports -- Winter 2014 | Page 9

HISTORY OF REGULATIONS A History of Regulations The Northwest Food Processors Association has guided members through the implementation of food regulations since its formation 1914. Since that time, NWFPA has been an advocate and resources to assist members in producing the world’s safest food supply. In the early 20th century, the demand for transcontinental food shipping and introduction of refrigeration created a greater dependence on processed foods. President Theodore Roosevelt signed The Pure Food and Drug Act (PFDA) in 1906 mandating appropriate content labeling. This “truth in labeling” law protected the consumer from unidentified ingredients. It created a roadmap for food regulations, promoted brand loyalty by setting standards for American food processors and subsequently established the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 1938, congress passed the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), authorizing the FDA to monitor the safety of food, drugs and cosmetic goods. FFDCA set regulatory standards by authorizing factory inspections and expanding enforcement powers. Throughout the years, many amendments and related laws have been added to FFDCA including the Food Additives Amendment in 1957. PPI_NwfpaAd_186x123mm_Layout 1 06/11/2013 17:12 Page 1 The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed by President Obama in 2011. Not since the FFDCA had the food processing industry witnessed such vast regulatory changes. FSMA implemented adjustments to every aspect of the food supply chain, including risk-based inspections and import verification requirements for the millions of food products entering the United States. FSMA updates and implementations are moving quickly, making the unity between processors, suppliers and NWFPA a vital alliance. Not a regulation, but an industry best practice scheme, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) was created under Belgian law in 2000. GFSI is a business-driven collaborative effort of global food safety experts, academic professionals, and government officials. The initiative recognizes food safety schemes, such as the Safe Quality Food (SQF), British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 to harmonize audits and streamline the verification process. During the 2014 NWFPA EXPO and Conference, the Operations and Technical Affairs sessions will focus on FSMA. Each session will include pertinent information on supply chain risk management, import food safety, transportation food safety and security issues, to name a few. Help us celebrate the next 100 years of partnership with our Pacific Northwest regulatory officials and food safety providers to continue a tradition of producing the world’s safest food. © Alphaspirit | Dreamstime.com Get a clearer view of the path ahead With over 20 years’ experience in the publishing of information on the potato processing industry, Potato Processing International is, without doubt, the number one place to go for up to date clear and informative information on this vibrant sector. If you need a clearer view, then follow the path to Potato Processing International via www.potatobusiness.com email: [email protected] for your free sample copy Celebrating 100 Years We provide our readers with news, commentary, new product information, case studies, interviews and much, much, more. With our new digital issue being launched, we will now have up-to-the-minute news and views on everything that is happening in the potato processing industry. So if you have an