The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a new proposed rule under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) aimed at improving the safety of food for animals. The proposed regulation would help prevent foodborne illness in animals and people. It is open for public comment for the next 120 days. This new proposal is part of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s effort to modernize the food safety system and focus both public and private efforts on the prevention of food safety problems instead of responding to problems after they have already occurred.

This newly proposed rule would require animal feed and pet food makers to develop a formal plan and put procedures in place to prevent foodborne illness. This new rule would also require makers to have plans for correcting  problems as they occur.  Additionally, it would also require animal food facilities to follow proposed current good manufacturing practices that address areas like sanitation, which would be a first.

“The FDA continues to take steps to meet the challenge of ensuring a safe food supply,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “Today’s announcement addresses a critical part of the food system, and we will continue to work with our national and international industry, consumer and government partners as we work to prevent foodborne illness.”

The newly proposed rule would help ensure the safety of the food supply for animals and also prevent the transmission of agents in their food that could cause foodborne illness in both animals and people. People can actually get sick by handling contaminated food, such as pet food.

“This proposed rule on animal food complements proposed rules published in January 2013 for produce safety and facilities that manufacture food for humans to set modern, prevention-based standards for food safety,” said Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael R. Taylor. “They also work in concert with standards proposed in July 2013 to help ensure that imported foods are as safe as those produced domestically.”