The clock is ticking closer to the compliance deadline of January 20, 2026, for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration new Food Traceability rule – "Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods". This new regulation fulfills a major provision mandated in section 204 of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and will have major implications for the entire seafood supply chain.
Simply put, the final rule requires companies, both in the U.S. and abroad, to do five things:
1. Develop and maintain a traceability plan;
2. Maintain records of Key Data Elements (KDE) associated with the applicable Critical Tracking Events (CTE);
3. Pass forward certain KDEs when shipping products;
4. Use a Traceability Lot Code to link CTEs;
5. Maintain and provide records to FDA when requested.
With less than 2 years until the compliance deadline, it's time to have a clear understanding of the requirements and mapping out a traceability plan.
