FDA’s contest to find new smart and cheap technologies for food safety

In a recent announcement, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas announced the launch of a new initiative, called The FDA New Era of Smarter Food Safety Low- or No-Cost Tech-enabled Traceability Challenge. This will begin on June 1, with the submission of ideas about new technologies on food safety and traceability, which must be affordable in order to encourage widespread adoption from primary producers to retailers and foodservice. “To achieve that level of participation, we need accessible tracing solutions for human and animal food companies of all sizes”, Yiannas said. “That means that we must help ensure that even small companies can use and benefit from new tracing technologies. Digitizing data at no or low cost through the use of creative financial models may allow the entire food system to get smarter together.”  

At the end of June 2021, there will be 12 contest winners, who will gain great visibility, including an opportunity to present their projects in a public forum hosted by the FDA.  

This project is part of a larger food safety plan. The FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety was established in July 2020 with goal of leveraging new technologies to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system. Yiannas ended the announcement with: “Working together, we will find the approaches we need to help ensure that modern advances in food and information technology are accompanied by modern advances in food safety.”    

Source:  

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/fda-seeks-innovative-food-traceability-tools-and-opens-dialogue-advancing-food-safety-technology