Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 111/2/19

22 October 2012

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 855/2012

US : Guidance for Industry: Necessity of the Use of Food Categories in Food Facility Registrations and Updates to Food Categories; Food Facility Re-registration

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a Guidance for Industry entitled "Necessity of the Use of Food Categories in Food Facility Registrations and Updates to Food Categories". FDA also announced that it will be accepting food facility registration renewals.

DETAILS

2. FDA's regulations require that a food facility submit a registration containing information on certain applicable food product categories for food manufactured/processed, packed or held at such facility. The trade was informed via Commercial Information Circular No. 641/2012 of 16 August 2012 FDA's release of a draft Guidance identifying additional food categories to be included in food facility registrations pursuant to the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). FDA has now finalised the Guidance, which is available at http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ GuidanceDocuments/ucm324778.htm.

3. Separately, FDA announced that the biennial registration renewal for food facilities as required by the FSMA will begin on 22 October 2012. For details, please refer to FDA's website: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FSMA/ucm314178.htm.

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Cindy LAU)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry