Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced an extension for compliance with the newly implemented food traceability regulations. Originally set for January 20, 2026, the deadline has now been extended by an additional 30 months, providing the food industry with more time to fully implement these regulations.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Arada Fuangthong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, disclosed that on March 20, 2025, the FDA had officially announced this extension of the compliance period for the new food traceability regulations. This extension applies to the "Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods," which mandates the tracing of specific food products listed under the Food Traceability List (FTL). The list includes various categories such as certain types of cheese, tropical fruits, eggs from pasture-raised hens, peanut butter, and a variety of fresh, frozen, and pre-frozen fish and vegetables.
The regulations, part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that came into effect on January 20, 2023, require compliance from food manufacturers, processors, packagers, storage operators, retailers, and restaurants handling FTL food products within the United States and those abroad producing food for US consumption. Exemptions apply to specific small establishments, fishing vessels, and certain shellfish retailers and restaurants that meet specified size and sales thresholds. Compliance involves establishing a Traceability Lot Code (LTC), a Traceability Plan, recording critical tracking events (CTE), and maintaining or submitting records to the FDA as required. Operators are also tasked with collecting scientific data to assess food hazard risks by evaluating outbreak frequencies, disease severity, contamination potential, and microbial growth possibilities.
The Director-General further emphasized that the primary aim of these regulations is to safeguard public health by ensuring rapid removal of potentially harmful food products from the market. Notably, Thailand has been significantly involved in exporting food products under the FTL to the US, with shrimp exports valued at 11,886 million baht, representing a substantial portion of Thailand's total food export value. Consequently, Thai entrepreneurs exporting products on the FTL list must prepare to adhere to the FDA's traceability regulations, which can be further explored at the FDA's official website before enforcement begins.