Dive Brief:
- The National Grocers Association and United Natural Foods, Inc. have released a guide on the Food and Drug Administration’s new traceability requirements, NGA announced Wednesday.
- The FDA’s “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” rule went into effect on Jan. 20, 2023, with a compliance date of Jan. 20, 2026.
- “The new traceability rule is one of the biggest changes in food safety compliance our members have seen in over a decade,” NGA President and CEO Greg Ferrara said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
On Jan. 20, 2026, the FDA’s rule will require all companies that hold, pack, distribute or sell food to keep detailed records for a specific list of foods and then be able to give these records within 24 hours to the FDA or local food safety authorities upon request, according to the NGA’s announcement.
“We know how important it is for industry members to be able to understand and easily navigate any new rule, and this guide will be a useful resource as we continue to partner, explore, and assess workable, long-term solutions,” UNFI Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Matt Echols said in a statement.
The trade association linked up with the grocery distributor and wholesaler to develop the “easy-to-follow resource” to help independent grocers and distributors with compliance, the NGA said. The step-by-step guide includes summaries, diagrams, tables and photos explaining the FDA’s 600-page rule.
The resource is free for NGA members and available to non-members for about $900.
Along with the guide, NGA also launched an online Traceability Center for its members to access templates, glossaries and a mock traceability event exercise.
In late 2022, NGA teamed up with ReposiTrak to temporarily waive the $2,000 setup fee for access to ReposiTrak Traceability Network, which allows suppliers, wholesalers and retailers to share traceability data.
