FDA Recognizes IAS as Accreditation Body Under FSMA Program

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has recognized International Accreditation Services, Inc. (IAS) of Brea, California, as an accreditation body under the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program for a period of five years. This organization is being recognized because it meets the applicable FDA requirements, validated through application review and on-site assessment. (For more information on FDA’s standards for recognition, see Key Facts about the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program.)

Accreditation bodies recognized by FDA will have the authority to accredit third-party certification bodies, also known as third-party auditors. These certification bodies, once accredited, can conduct food safety audits and issue certifications of foreign food facilities (including farms) and the foods – both human and animal – that they produce. Those certifications can be used by importers to establish eligibility for participation in the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP), and in certain circumstances FDA can require that imported products be certified before entering the United States.

Read more on the FDA website. Learn more about accreditation from IAS.

Lastly, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has appointed IAS Manager Dimitrios Katsieris to serve on the TC34 SC17 Expert panel for food safety for the next 2 years. Read more here.