AFIA commends FDA on Compliance Policy Guide for Salmonella in petfood

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) filed comments on December 31, 2010, supporting the US Food and Drug Administration’s updated Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) Sec. 690.800 on Salmonella in animal feed, including petfood.
FDA created CPGs to direct its field staff who regulate compliance policies for animal feed or feed ingredients contaminated with Salmonella as well as products that come into direct contact with humans, such as petfood.
“For many years, AFIA has urged FDA to separate how the agency polices Salmonella in food and feed, and we applaud this separation. Now, Salmonella found in feed will not always be deemed adulterated, which is a break with the past and a good break,” said Richard Sellers, AFIA vice president.
AFIA also recently initiated the Salmonella in Feed Research Coalition in conjunction with the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The purpose of the Coalition is to define research priorities for Salmonella in feed and to map out research protocols at ARS facilities. The first formal coalition meeting is tentatively scheduled for early 2011, which scientists from the Center for Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Research have been encouraged to participate in.