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  1. Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) Programs and Initiatives

Domestic Mutual Reliance

Domestic Mutual Reliance (banner image)

Domestic mutual reliance is a seamless partnership that enables the FDA and states with comparable regulatory public health systems, as trusted partners, to rely on, coordinate with, and leverage one another’s work, data, and actions to meet the public health goal of a safe national food supply. 

The FDA works with our state partners to build and recognize high quality programs using nationally recognized regulatory program standards like Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and the Animal Feed Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS). Such collaboration provides opportunities for the FDA and state partners to lay a quality foundation for sharing information and working together on regulatory services and food protection that industry and consumers can trust.

 

Partnership Agreements

Map of Domestic Mutual Reliance Partnership Agreements in the USA

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Partnership agreements formally document our domestic mutual reliance relationships to improve foodborne illness prevention, detection, and response in an Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS). Partners collaborate in the following operational areas to build a highly trained workforce, coordinate food safety inspection efforts, share data, leverage organizational resources, focus on prevention, and better respond to outbreaks. 

  1. Information Sharing and Public Health Protection through Legal Authority
  2. Domestic Mutual Reliance Planning and Evaluation
  3. Leveraging of Resources
  4. Information Technology
  1. Training
  2. Risk-Based Inspection Program
  3. Compliance and Enforcement
  4. Industry and Community Relations
  5. Laboratory Support
  6. Emergency Response

 

What's New

  • Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (AK DEC) and FDA Partnership (MOU 225-20-007) Accomplishments
    February 2024 – The FDA worked with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Laboratory to update an infographic highlighting the accomplishments from FY2017-FY2023 of their Specialized Partnership Agreement, in which Alaska analyzes radionuclides on the FDA’s behalf. 
  • February 2024 –As part of an environmental investigation of elevated blood lead levels in children, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services tested apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches and found extremely high concentrations of lead, which can cause acute toxicity. The FDA was notified, and all three agencies shared documentation of their findings. The FDA then proactively issued a consumer advisory, and the company recalled the product. The FDA also activated the Food Emergency Response Network to mobilize state Laboratory Flexible Funding Model-funded labs for additional testing in support of the investigation. To date, 18 state laboratories have tested more than 160 products in response to this incident and shared results with the FDA. As of February 2, 2024, the CDC reported more than 300 cases linked to this product. However, due to the quick action among state and federal partners, the product was identified and removed from commerce – thus preventing additional exposures and adverse effects. 
  • January 2024 – The FDA produced a video depicting domestic mutual reliance “in action” among the FDA, states, and other regulatory partners. It focuses on foodborne illness prevention, detection, response activities, and public health impacts.
  • December 2023 – The Association of Food and Drug Officials and Quality Assurance Magazine recently published a three-part webinar series on the integrated food safety system featuring, among others, the FDA’s Office of Partnerships Director Barbara Cassens (part 2), Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships and Policy Erik Mettler (part 3), and multiple key FDA partners. The series addressed vision, obstacles, and how ORA supports partners to operationalize domestic mutual reliance, including the use of partnership agreements (part 3).

Resources

Do you have questions or would you like more information? Please submit them to OP.Feedback@fda.hhs.gov.

 



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