Food Protection Rapid Response Team and Program Infrastructure Improvement Protot

<p> SUMMARY: The aim of this grant is a food-borne illness Rapid Response Team that, through the development of various programmatic enhancement and improvements, along with improved coordination and communication, will provide consumers with a safer food supply. The overarching goal for the DSHS food safety program is to be considered among its peers as the 'gold standard'. Achieving this goal has the potential to guarantee credibility with stakeholders, while at the same time positions the program to become benchmark for other state food safety programs. A future goal for the program is to become certified by the FDA, in the same manner as the DSHS Meat Safety Assurance Program is by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). One of the program's priorities will be to conduct the self-assessment and meet the 10 Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) within the three-year period of the grant. DSHS's Division for Regulatory Services and the Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC) will accomplish this through the following goals: Goal 1: Development of a Rapid Response Team (RRT) capable of rapidly responding tofood-borne illness outbreaks for identification of the responsible food and elimination ofthe hazard to reduce further exposure; Goal 2: Attainment of the Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS);Goal 3: Improved laboratory capacity for the testing of human and food (including feed)specimens; Goal 4: Improved communication and education of stakeholders to improve prevention measures; improve coordination of inspections and investigations with our counterparts, laboratory and epidemiology to enhance existing intervention, response, and mitigation activities. Goal 5: Development of the ability to share inspectional data with the FDA needed to strengthen risk management procedures. </p>