November 14, 2016, Covington Alert

On November 10, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its final guidance for industry on the voluntary qualified importer program (VQIP). The final guidance builds upon draft guidance issued in June 2015, as part of FDA’s implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA) mandate to establish a voluntary, fee-based program to provide for the expedited review and importation of food from importers who have demonstrated the safety and security of their supply chains. FDA will expedite the entry into the U.S. for all foods included in importers’ VQIP applications.

June 2, 2016, Covington Alert

On June 1, 2016, the FDA announced draft guidance on voluntary sodium reduction targets that could have a substantial effect on food manufacturers and restaurants. The Draft Guidance proposes short-term and long-term targets for various categories of commercially processed, packaged, and prepared foods, as well as recommended upper bounds for sodium in each food category. Although voluntary for industry participants, the new sodium targets may have a significant impact on food product formulations.

2015, Harvard Journal on Legislation