Frequently asked Questions about the Food Safety Modernization Act

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The Brewers Association (BA), in collaboration with the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) has published Brewers’ Responsibilities and Obligations under the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Using a “frequently asked questions” format, the Brewers Responsibilities and Obligations under the Food Safety Modernization Act clearly defines which portions of FSMA applies to breweries and provides references to relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and FDA Final Rules. Answers to common questions about compliance are provided along with links to resources that can provide additional information and support.

FSMA was signed in to law on January 4, 2011. Designed to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, FSMA, for the first time, brought breweries under direct regulation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA subsequently went through several periods of rule-making where details of compliance where finalized. FSMA specifically defines alcoholic beverages, including beer, as food. While manufacturers of alcoholic beverages need to comply with final rules, certain exemptions apply for specific types of businesses, including breweries.

Brewers Responsibilities and Obligations under the Food Safety Modernization Act was created by a working group of individuals from the BA Quality Subcommittee and the MBAA Food Safety Committee. The resources represents a collaboration subject matter experts from many different fields and publication also represents significant collaboration between the Brewer Association and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. Thanks to Tatiana Lorca, Brian Wiersema, Jamie Floyd, Jason Bolton, Jason McCann, Jason Perkins, Jason McCann, Doug Hindman and Damon Scott for their contributions to this project.