The Bioterrorism act that was introduced in the year 2002 is meant to check the flow of food and drugs under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which is one of the most popular food regulatory agencies in the world. These services were meant to protect the public from food-related emergencies and keep a check on the common issues among the people.
The Food Facility Registration services provide the facilities for manufacturing, packing, and processing the food as per the regulations both for the humans as well as animals in the US. This registration process was initiated on December 12, 2003.
This registration is required in order to determine the source and location of the sudden outbreak of illness that is foodborne. Along with that, you also get to learn about the source of bioterrorism. Once the origin of the illness is known, it becomes easy to notify the people in different regions about the consequences. The registration is free of cost does not require complex documentation.
Different types of food products that are included under this regulation include dairy products, seafood, fruits, and beverages, along with several other food items. However, pesticides and other chemical substances related to food products and not treated under this registration process.
The registration can be carried out both offline and online depending upon the convenience of the operator, owner, or agent who is in charge of a facility, or the individual who is authorized by one of them, is eligible for registering for the facility.
In case you are unable to register your facility or update the elements that are per the requirement under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act then you might be prohibited from the act. In such a scenario, the federal government can take civil action against the people who are found guilty or responsible for prohibiting the act.
If a foreign facility fails to register, then the food from such a facility will be imported to the US. After this, it might even be held at the port of entry before it is directed to the Customs or Border Protection Service (CBP).
FDA has also planned to issue enforcement guidance regarding the refusal of imported food. Such a document will be available for the public to take a look at after which FDA will publish it in the Federal Register.