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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) invites the public to register for the virtual public meeting titled “Data and Technology in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety.” The purpose of the public meeting is for FDA and stakeholders to share information and thinking on ways we can leverage data and technology to exponentially advance food safety under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. 

Background

The New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative was launched in 2019 to signal a new approach to food safety, leveraging technology and other tools and approaches to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system.  

FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, published in 2020, has been the guiding outline for all work that has been accomplished to date. In the Blueprint we acknowledge that our activities to advance the New Era of Smarter Food Safety will evolve as technologies and the food system evolve. Under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, we are looking to focus on those activities that can best leverage data and technology to exponentially advance food safety and achieve better public health outcomes. 

Preliminary Agenda and Format

The morning session of the public meeting will consist of presentations from FDA to explain our current thinking on the potential for new, innovative or different data and technology activities to be leveraged by both government and industry to create a safer food system. The afternoon session will be reserved for public comments to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share feedback on how and where advances in data and technology can be leveraged to significantly accelerate FDA’s ability to improve public health outcomes.  

Topics for Consideration

We welcome feedback on which activities FDA should focus efforts under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety to leverage data and technology to exponentially advance food safety. Examples of activities we are considering as part of the continuing New Era work and would like to hear feedback on from stakeholders include:

• Tech-enabled traceability
• Predictive analytics 
• Data sharing
• Whole genome sequencing (i.e., GenomeTrakr)  
• Ways to use technology to monitor and gather data 
• Technological innovation in equipment design, digital tools, and training methods

We also welcome feedback on new and emerging areas of innovation (e.g., use of virtual reality in food safety training) that may not have been addressed in the Blueprint but would fit under continuing New Era work. 

The feedback we receive from this public meeting, and in comments submitted to the accompanying docket, will help FDA identify activities we should prioritize under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety and shape further stakeholder engagement opportunities.

Registration and Key Deadlines

General Registration

The April 24 public meeting is a virtual event. Registration is free and will be open through the day of the meeting. Persons interested in attending the public meeting and receiving related meeting materials in advance of the meeting must register.

When registering you will have the opportunity to submit questions for consideration during the public meeting. These questions must be submitted by April 8, 2024.  
Additionally, upon registering you will receive a confirmation email and approximately 24 to 48 hours before the event, registrants will receive an email with the meeting link and a formal calendar invitation.  

Public Comment Registration

During online registration, you may indicate if you wish to make open oral public comment during the public meeting and which topic(s) you would like to address. All requests to make public comment must be received by April 8, 2024.   

NOTE: We will do our best to accommodate requests to make public comment. We are seeking to have a broad representation of ideas and issues presented at the meeting. FDA will determine the amount of time allotted to each commenter for their oral remarks (typically 3 minutes). Registrants will receive confirmation via email when they have been accepted along with the approximate time they will provide comment. Please see the section below on Comment to the Docket for sharing any written or visual materials with the Agency.  

Comment to the Docket

Beginning on April 24, 2024, a Regulations.gov docket will open for 60 days to collect comments related to the event topic.