The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food rule that will help to prevent food contamination during transportation. The rule will require those involved in transporting human and animal food by motor or rail vehicle to follow recognized best practices for sanitary transportation, such as properly refrigerating food, adequately cleaning vehicles between loads, and properly protecting food during transportation.
This is the sixth major rule finalized to implement the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and advances the agency’s efforts to protect foods from farm to table. The earliest compliance dates for some firms begin one year after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register. The rule builds on safeguards envisioned in the 2005 Sanitary Food Transportation Act (SFTA).
