The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) told FDA it should not require finished product testing as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In comments filed with FDA, the association said it does not believe mandatory finished product testing would be in the interest of food safety or the health of the industry or consumers.

“Finished product testing would be an undue burden on industry due to the increased product holding time required, until results are received for a given lot,” FPSA said in its comments. “For refrigerated and frozen products, there would be a shortage of storage space to hold additional days of product for a limited benefit.”

Instead, FPSA says the industry should continue to use environmental monitoring as the primary tool to determine the presence of pathogens.