Registrar Corp., Hampton, Va., issued a statement, reminding the food industry of an important upcoming regulatory deadline. Under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), food facilities that manufacture, process, pack or store food for distribution in the United States are required to renew their FDA registrations between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. 

Food facilities have been required to register with FDA since 2003. FSMA updated this requirement in 2011 to include biennial renewals to keep FDA's registration database up-to-date. Food facilities are now required to renew every even numbered year.

FDA's Registration Renewal requirement applies to both domestic and foreign food facilities registered with FDA. Foreign facilities must also designate a U.S. agent for FDA Communications in Section 7 of their renewal. This agent will have access to information submitted in the facility's registration and may speak to FDA on behalf of the facility regarding inspections, shipments and other regulatory matters. 

Facilities also must renew their FDA registration regardless of when they submitted their initial registration. Distributing food in the United States with an expired registration is a prohibited act and may lead to detention of products or other regulatory action by FDA. 

Registrar Corp. is a U.S. FDA consulting firm that helps food facilities comply with FDA regulations, including registration, U.S. agent requirements, food labeling and new requirements under FSMA.