What is an IFSS?

An Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) provides the vision, guiding principles and key components of a coordinated approach to food safety. An IFSS describes the continual improvements and collaborative activities of food safety that will be addressed through the implementation of a collection of initiatives, programs and projects.

An IFSS includes the implementation of seamless partnerships and operations among federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal agencies as well as academic, foreign, industry and consumer stakeholders (strategic partners) to achieve the public health mission of realizing a safer food supply. The IFSS encourages interactions and collaborations with strategic partners, as their input and the lessons learned are critical to the advancement of this mission.

An IFSS leverages the participation, coordination, resources, and authorities of all strategic partners to protect the food supply. The seamless operations of an IFSS with our strategic partners will:

Consist of robust, high-quality data integration and analysis systems and information sharing mechanisms among partners
Leverage the resources, experience, subject matter expertise, and efforts among partners to create an integrated global food safety network that will achieve the best public health outcome
Operate a coordinated and comparable regulatory system of inspection, surveillance, investigation, enforcement, and response
Improve response capabilities to foodborne illness outbreaks, recalls, and food emergencies
Demonstrate commitment to meeting consumer’s expectations of safe and wholesome foods for purchase and consumption

To address the guiding principles of an IFSS, the FDA manages a collection of initiatives, programs and projects organized into four main areas: Information and Data Exchange; Operational Support; Regulatory Standards and Policy; and Strategic Partnerships.

These coordinated efforts with our strategic partners bring FDA closer to its regulatory mission of public health protection including reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses. Some key examples include ongoing efforts to:

Expand and enhance the planning and prioritizing of work to coordinate resources
Use food safety surveillance data to update and evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based food safety policies and programs
Implement efficient, prevention-focused, risk-based inspections and sample collections
Create uniform food safety policies that leverage novel technology based on standardized best practices and regulations
Promote use of compliance and enforcement tools and joint agency actions, where applicable for achieving comprehensive compliance with food safety laws and regulations
Utilize national training and certification programs to attain consistency and competency amongst the IFSS workforce and ensure regulatory and public health activities are being completed to the same standards of proficiency and quality
Share the knowledge, data, experience, and processes among government, industry, academia, and consumer groups, when applicable to help achieve the public health goal of a safer food supply
Increase traceability and recall effectiveness through improved industry/regulatory communication and collaboration
Promote food safety education for consumers