The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law on January 4, 2011. This sweeping reform aims to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, and therefore public health, by requiring domestic and foreign processors (exporting product to the U.S.) to proactively manage food safety hazards associated with the manufacture and transport of FDA-regulated food products. With the introduction of FSMA, beer and other alcoholic beverages are considered FDA-regulated food products. In order to be FSMA compliant, your brewery needs to adhere to FDA rules and regulations or file for a specific exemption where applicable.

Related resource: Food Safety Modernization Act FAQs for Brewers

If you are seeking to better understand how your brewery currently meets regulatory compliance, are in the early stages of planning, or wondering if you qualify for an exemption, the FDA Registration & FSMA Compliance Flow Chart will help you to navigate through these rules and definitions, as well as suggest food safety best practices.

This resource will guide you through the following questions:

• Does the FSMA apply to my brewery?
• Do I qualify for an exemption?
• What spent grain handling procedures are required of FDA Registered Food Facilities?
• How does alcohol-free beverage production impact FSMA compliance?

Tips for using this resource:

• Follow along the flowchart by answering the YES or NO questions
• Visit embedded links on the FDA website (scroll down the page to find relevant information)
• Email your questions to technical@brewersassociation.org