FDA May Start Juice HACCP Inspections in October

IDFA Incorporates New FDA Guidance into HACCP Workshop

In October, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is slated to begin its inspections of dairy plants producing 100% juice beverages; FDA issued its mandatory juice HACCP regulations in January 2001. On September 12, FDA released a draft document, Juice HACCP Hazards and Controls Guidance, which processors can use to help comply with FDA’s mandatory juice HACCP regulations. “This draft guidance represents FDA's current views on potential hazards in juice products and how to control them, and it is designed to assist juice processors in the development of HACCP plans to satisfy the requirements of the HACCP regulations for juice,” states FDA in the guidance. Although the guidance is in draft form, FDA field inspectors will likely use the document when they inspect plants producing juice beverages. IDFA encourages plant operators to become familiar with this new guidance document and anticipate that inspectors may refer to it in upcoming inspections.

IDFA’s Dairy and Juice HACCP Short Course, October 22-24, in Salt Lake City, will cover both the new guidance document and FDA’s mandatory juice HACCP regulations. Click here for a complete agenda and registration form for this short course.

FDA is now calling for public comment on the draft guidance document by November 12. IDFA plans to submit comments, which will focus on the models of equipment cleaning and sanitation and the role of prerequisite programs in controlling potential hazards. Members who would like to contribute to IDFA’s comments on the guidance document should contact Allen Sayler at asayler@idfa.org, 202/220-3544. Click here to review FDA’s draft Juice HACCP Hazards and Controls Guidance.

Posted September 30, 2002