FDA Certification for Exports to the USA
Exporting food products to the United States requires compliance with specific regulations, including FDA certification (Food and Drug Administration).
FDA certification regulates quality management throughout the entire supply chain, including the logistics involved in storing goods. The process is designed to ensure that food products entering the USA meet the safety and quality requirements established by the FDA to protect consumer health.
Goods that do not comply with FDA standards may be detained or refused at the border, or even prohibited from entering the US market, resulting in financial losses for exporting companies.
What is the FDA and why is it necessary?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the US federal agency responsible for regulating and overseeing food, medicines, medical devices, cosmetics and other consumer products.
Its objective is to ensure food safety through a series of regulations, inspections and preventive measures designed to protect consumer health.
The FDA does not issue approval certificates for food products; instead, it registers facilities and oversees manufacturing and handling processes to ensure compliance with established safety requirements.
As part of its role in safeguarding food safety, the US agency carries out:
- Checks on ingredients and raw materials
- Inspections of manufacturing and logistics facilities
- Verification of labelling and packaging compliance
- Monitoring and verification of the production and supply chain
Through its inspectors, the FDA may carry out unannounced inspections both at manufacturing facilities and at storage warehouses.
How do you obtain FDA certification?
FDA registration and compliance requirements apply to food manufacturing companies, processing and packaging facilities, and storage facilities.
The process for meeting FDA requirements involves the following steps:
- Registration of the facility with the FDA, which must be renewed every two years.
- Appointment of a US FDA Agent for foreign companies, who acts as an intermediary between the company and the US agency.
- Preparation of a Food Safety Plan compliant with FDA requirements.
- Review of documentation and inspection of facilities by the FDA.
- Completion of the registration and compliance process.
MWM: a logistics partner for exports to the United States
MWM is registered with the FDA as a Food Facility for the storage of food products intended for the US market.
To meet the requirements of a client operating in the bakery and confectionery sector, MWM completed its FDA registration, enabling it to support the company in the correct management of export procedures, providing compliant warehousing facilities and preparing the necessary documentation.
More specifically, in collaboration with a specialised consultant, MWM prepared a Food Safety Plan covering product health and safety, which includes:
- a list of stored products and their characteristics, including ingredients, allergen declarations and shelf-life information;
- a description of the storage facility and logistics processes;
- information on the handling of incoming and outgoing goods, based on the relevant documentation issued;
- safety and quality standards adopted at the facility;
- hazard analysis.
MWM is an FDA-registered logistics partner capable of managing the storage of food products intended for the US market in compliance with applicable regulations.
MWM: an FDA-registered logistics operator for exports to the USA
Thanks to its FDA registration and the know-how it has developed, MWM is an ideal logistics partner for companies exporting food products to the United States.
MWM operates in compliance with FDA requirements to ensure the smooth handling of goods and the correct management of the required documentation.
Through specialist consultancy, MWM provides exporters with tailor-made services and strategies, developed according to their specific requirements and business objectives.
