The FDA has issued final guidance for industry entitled “Temporary Policy Regarding Preventive Controls and FSVP Food Supplier Verification Onsite Audit Requirements During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.” It communicates the agency’s intention not to enforce certain onsite audit requirements in three of its food safety regulations in certain circumstances related to the impact of the new coronavirus, if other supplier verification methods that are designed to provide sufficient assurance that hazards have been significantly minimized or prevented are used instead during the period of onsite audit delay.

The three final regulations are entitled “Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food”; “Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals”; and “Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals”.