Using Technology Data and Collaboration to Expand SLTT Conformance With the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards

PROJECT SUMMARYAfter decades of incremental changes to the food safety system technological advancementshave ushered in a corresponding period of increased change for both food systems and foodsafety. According to FDAs most recent food safety initiative the New Era of Smarter FoodSafety many experts believe the pace of change will continue increasing over the next tenyears perhaps even more than in recent decades. As old foods are reformulated new foods arecreated new production and delivery methods are developed and the entire system becomesincreasingly digitized complexity for regulators is only going to increase.The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) project entitled A People-CenteredTechnology-Driven Scientific Approach to Advancing Conformance with the Voluntary NationalRetail Food Regulatory Program Standards (Retail Program Standards) is intended to: Objective 1: Work with FDA and project partners to develop refine and improve the grant management system we developed to administer financial assistance to SLTT retail regulatory food programs based on FDA's Retail Flexible Funding Model (RFFM)vision. Objective 2: Maintain the Self-Assessment and Verification Audit Online Course we developed in partnership with FDA and expand its use and value to SLTT jurisdictions. Objective 3: Establish the NEHA-NACCHO Mentor Academy to recruit and train a new generation of mentors expanding our capacity to meet the increasing demand for expertise in the Retail Program Standards. Objective 4: Work with CFP and FDA to host a biennial Retail Program Standards Symposium and an annual Virtual RFFM Grant Year Kickoff Meeting to engage current and attract new enrollees in the Retail Program Standards.These four objectives will advance the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) requirementsfound in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and support the goal of building NewBusiness Models and Retail Standardization in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety.By supporting SLTT retail food regulatory programs in their work toward uniformity andencouraging increased active managerial controls we will assist the FDA with their goal ofbending the curve of foodborne illness by reducing the number of illnesses and related deaths.