The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) invites the public to attend the virtual public meeting titled “Data and Technology in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety.” The purpose of the public meeting is for FDA and stakeholders to share information and thinking on ways we can leverage data and technology to exponentially advance food safety under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. 

Background

The New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative was launched in 2019 to signal a new approach to food safety, leveraging technology and other tools and approaches to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system.  

FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, published in 2020, has been the guiding outline for all work that has been accomplished to date. In the Blueprint we acknowledge that our activities to advance the New Era of Smarter Food Safety will evolve as technologies and the food system evolve. Under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, we are looking to focus on those activities that can best leverage data and technology to exponentially advance food safety and achieve better public health outcomes. 

Agenda and Format

The morning session of the public meeting will consist of presentations from FDA to explain our current thinking on the potential for new, innovative or different data and technology activities to be leveraged by both government and industry to create a safer food system. The afternoon session will be reserved for public comments to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share feedback on how and where advances in data and technology can be leveraged to significantly accelerate FDA’s ability to improve public health outcomes. Final agenda can be found below in the Event Materials table.

Topics for Consideration

We welcome feedback on which activities FDA should focus efforts under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety to leverage data and technology to exponentially advance food safety. Examples of activities we are considering as part of the continuing New Era work and would like to hear feedback on from stakeholders include:

• Tech-enabled traceability
• Predictive analytics 
• Data sharing
• Whole genome sequencing (i.e., GenomeTrakr)  
• Ways to use technology to monitor and gather data 
• Technological innovation in equipment design, digital tools, and training methods

We also welcome feedback on new and emerging areas of innovation (e.g., use of virtual reality in food safety training) that may not have been addressed in the Blueprint but would fit under continuing New Era work. 

The feedback we receive from this public meeting, and in comments submitted to the accompanying docket, will help FDA identify activities we should prioritize under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety and shape further stakeholder engagement opportunities.

Meeting Link

Virtual Public Meeting on Data and Technology in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety

Comment to the Docket

Comments on Data and Technology in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety should be submitted on or before June 24, 2024. Submit electronic comments to www.regulations.gov to docket number FDA-2024-N-1744. Written comments should be submitted to the Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. All written comments should identify the docket number FDA-2024-N-1744. 

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