Update: FDA not sure when food facility registration will open

A spokesperson for the FDA says the agency doesn't know yet when it will begin accepting food facility registrations as required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Under FSMA, all domestic and foreign facilities manufacturing, processing, packing or holding food for human or animal consumption in the U.S. are mandated to register with FDA between now and Dec. 31. In the past, registration was voluntary.

Registration was supposed to open Oct. 1, but it hasn't. Spokesman Sebastian Cianci said FDA “is still working to finalize related guidance documents and implement certain policies and processes,” which resulted in the delay. He could not say if it would be days or weeks before FDA is ready to open registration, and said the agency is considering extending the Dec. 31, 2012, deadline and will announce its decision “in the near future.”

To sign up for FSMA updates, click here. Or, check the FDA website later by clicking here.

For other FSMA information, click here.