Posted: July 31, 2023
Author: Wixon Regulatory Team

As you might expect, the regulatory landscape in the food ingredients world is ever-changing. So, keeping current with it is an ongoing commitment. Just to give you an inside look at what that entails for us on the regulatory team – it starts with being actively involved in trade associations at both the committee and board levels. This way we not only keep abreast of changes as they are happening, but we’re also privy to discussions about how regulations may affect the market. Wixon team members also often attend and participate in informational seminars and webinars encompassing regulatory compliance. 

Here are some of the regulatory activities we participate in listed below:

  • Wixon is a member of ASTA (American Spice Trade Association) and regularly sends representatives to the ASTA National Conference. Also, the team will be represented at the ASTA Regulatory Workshop in Washington D.C. this fall. 
  • Wixon is a member of NSMA (National Seasoning Manufacturers Association), with board representation and full participation in all NSMA activities, including annual meetings with the FDA/CFSAN, USDA-FSIS and other regulatory agencies along with regular attendance at NSMA Annual Meetings, which are concurrent with the national IFT meeting.
  • The Wixon regulatory team routinely participates in online webinars, which include Organic Enforcement, US Food Labeling, and EPA Proposed Regulatory Actions on ETO (Ethylene Oxide) treated spices. Additionally, one of the regulatory team attended a ‘Practical Food Law’ Seminar in San Francisco.
  • The regulatory team also subscribes to industry related newsletters, including FDA, NSMA and ASTA, which cover current topics, upcoming legislation, and meeting highlights.

Notable Updates

As a supplier of food ingredients to multiple countries outside of the U.S., sesame popped onto our radar nearly a decade ago. Because of this, we’ve been declaring sesame as an allergen for several years. Then when the FASTER Act, added sesame as the ninth major allergen in the U.S.,we were in a position to be fully compliant. This was well before the required January 1, 2023, posted completion date. The advanced compliance helped smooth the transition for our customers.

Organic News

The USDA/AMS passed a Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) regulation that is meant to close loopholes that existed in the original National Organic Program (NOP) regulations, which inadvertently led to unintended exceptions to parts of the original regulation. The SOE regulation protects organic integrity and bolsters farmer and consumer confidence in the USDA organic seal by supporting strong organic control systems, improving farm to market traceability, increasing import oversight authority, and providing robust enforcement of the organic regulations. The final rule was effective on March 20, 2023, with an Implementation date of March 19, 2024.     

At Wixon, we understand the significance of navigating the complex and ever-changing regulatory landscape in the food ingredients industry.  Our dedicated approach to regulatory compliance underscores our commitment to delivering safe and high-quality ingredients to our customers.  Reach out to our team to learn more!