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title: "EAS-e-News: What’s Hot in the Regulatory World"
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Friend, Get the latest FDA and USDA regulatory information in our monthly EASeNews.

| View in browser Foods  •  Dietary Supplements  •  Drugs  •  Medical Devices  •  Cosmetics  •  Tobacco  •  Cannabis 1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 750, Alexandria, VA 22314  •  571-447-5500  •  easconsultinggroup.com/contact January 2025 Issue of the Month Pet Supplement Industry on the Rise By Tim Lombardo, EAS Senior Director for Food Consulting Services Recent survey reports indicate that supplements for pets have reached US sales of nearly $3 billion, with dog and cat supplements comprising of approximately 75% and 20% of the total, respectively. The growing pet supplement market is aimed at pet health and wellness, particularly for issues like mobility, skin and coat health, and anxiety. Survey reports specifically indicate that hip and joint supplements are the most frequently type of supplement purchased.   The primary drivers for the growth in pet supplement include (1) Consumer Perception and (2) Marketing.   Consumer Perception Human supplements are overwhelmingly considered very safe, and in some surveys, consumers place supplement safety above that of food safety. For pet owners, this perception of safety is then extended to pet supplements. Additionally, pets are increasingly viewed more as family members, resulting in a desire and willingness for pet owners to invest in their pet’s health. Further, veterinarians are more willing to recommend pet supplements to pet owners, adding an additional layer of “approval.” Read Full Article Upcoming Training Events Claims Substantiation Seminar February 11, 2025 Upcoming Tradeshows and Conferences IPPE Expo Atlanta, GA January 28-30, 2025   44th Annual Refrigerated Foods Association Conference Orlando, FL February 16-19, 2025   48th International GMP Conference Athens, GA March 3-6, 2025   Seafood Expo North America Boston, MA March 16-18, 2025   Society of Toxicology Orlando, FL March 16-20, 2025 Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) Education Interested in more food safety training? FSNS offers live and virtual education events. Visit FSNS.com/education to learn more. FSPCA Preventive Controls for Animal Food or Human Food (PCQI)   HACCP Training Course   Advanced HACCP/Preventive Controls    FSSC 22000 and/or Internal Auditing   Microbiology and Food Safety 101 and 202   Preventive Maintenance   Sanitation Courses   Implementing SQF Systems Ed 9 and Internal Auditing   BRCGS Food – Issue 9 Sites Training and/or Internal Auditing   and many more... Under the Microscope Pet Food Label Modernization: How it Affects Pet Food Manufacturers As a member of the Certified Group and Food Safety Net Services, EAS clients have access to world-renowned testing laboratories that meet your organization’s sophisticated needs. In this column, you’ll hear about their capabilities, environmental challenges and more. We hope you’ll enjoy a look “under the microscope.” Pet Food Label Modernization – A Decade in the Making  If you’re in the pet food manufacturing industry, you know that big changes are on the horizon when it comes to labeling.   The Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM) initiative, led by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), is finally becoming reality after nearly a decade of development.   Here, we summarize the upcoming changes so your organization can begin working toward compliance during the six-year phase-in period.    Why Change Pet Food Labels?  Pet Food Label Modernization aims to improve transparency, consistency, and consumer understanding for pet owners. These changes will align the Primary Display Panel and Nutrition Statements on pet food packaging more closely with human food labels, making nutritional information easier to read and compare. This includes standardized details on ingredients, caloric content, and intended use.   The hope is that clearer labels will help consumers make informed choices, ultimately boosting trust in pet food products and the industry as a whole.  Read Full Article Read Drug and Device Corner on the EAS Website What’s New on the FDA Website FDA and USDA Regulatory Updates Considerations for Complying with 21 CFR 211.110 Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Device Software Functions: Lifecycle Management and Marketing Submission Recommendations Guidance for Industry: Action Levels for Lead in Processed Food Intended for Babies and Young Children FDA Issues Final Guidance on Analytical Testing for Industry Use in Tobacco Product Applications FDA Proposes Rule to Require Standardized Testing Methods for Detecting and Identifying Asbestos in Talc-Containing Cosmetic Products FDA Issues Final Rule to Broaden Types of Nonprescription Drugs Available to Consumers FDA Updates “Healthy” Claim, Providing a Refreshed Tool for Consumers EAS in Action EAS is on the go. Find out about our latest seminars, webinars, speaking engagements, articles published in industry journals, tradeshows and more! EAS in the News: Gabe Miller, Food Safety Magazine Process Control Column EAS Independent Consultant Gabe Miller has been featured in Food Safety Magazine on “Fundamental Requirements of the 3-A Sanitary Standards and their Relationship with Regulations.”   Although the 3-A Standards are not regulations, many regulatory authorities treat them as such to permit the use of equipment for food or dairy processing. Read - Fundamental Requirements of the 3-A Sanitary Standards and their Relationship with Regulations Submit Your Questions to the EAS Team Today! Do you have a regulatory question or concern? Are you interested in seeing a particular topic covered in a future issue of eNews? We want to hear from you! Use the EAS Contact Us form to send a note or question to our team any time. Get Notified When Trainings Are Scheduled Are you looking for training in a particular industry or regulatory topic? Review our list of available topics and sign up to be notified when your course of interest is scheduled next. We’re Hiring Independent Contractors! EAS is always interested in broadening our industry experience and expanding our independent consultant team. If you’re interested in joining EAS as a 1099 contract employee, please email your CV to Dean Cirotta at dcirotta@easconsultinggroup.com. Consultant Corner EAS offers over 150 independent consultants strategically located around the globe whose expertise provide core value for clients. Issue of the Month Author Tim Lombardo Senior Director for Food Consulting Services Tim is a widely regarded expert in food safety and microbiology with over 25 years of direct experience leading these programs at a variety of manufacturing facilities. Tim’s direct experience includes dairy, infant formula, baked goods, nuts and nut products, fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, spices, color flavors and other ingredients and many others. He is a Lead Instructor through the Food Safety and Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) in Preventive Controls for both Human and Animal Foods, is certified in Thermal / Aseptic Processing and Sterilization through the Better Process Control School and is a Lead Instructor for the HACCP Controls Alliance.   Prior to joining EAS, Mr. Lombardo was the Lead Staff Scientist at Eurofins where he oversaw microbiological harborage site investigations, facilitated Food Safety plan development and validation including Food Security, Food Defense/Intentional Adulteration and Food Fraud Plan Development. He also spent 17 years at Leprino Foods Company, in roles of increasing responsibility, culminating as the Corporate Manager of Sanitation where he provided corporate sanitation leadership and guidance to ten cheese and dairy ingredient manufacturing facilities, three of which manufactured infant formula ingredients. Additionally, he had responsibility for the firm’s Food Safety/Quality Systems including GMPs, HACCP, Environmental Monitoring, Pest Control, Foreign Material Control, Traceability, and Ingredient Monitoring at various plants.   Mr. Lombardo is a published author and international speaker. He is a member of the Institute for Food Technology (IFT), the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) and is a member of the US Hemp Authority Technical Committee. He is also a combat Veteran, having served in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Events Where You Can Catch Tim and Our Food Team International Production & Processing Expo January 28 – 30, 2025 Atlanta, Georgia RFA’s 44th Annual Conference & Exhibition February 16-19, 2025 Orlando, Florida Seafood Expo North America March 16-18, 2025 Boston, Massachusetts Petfood Forum April 28-30, 2025 Kansas City, Missouri Food Safety Summit May 12-15, 2025 Roesmont, Illinois Learn more about working with EAS Consulting Group Respected  •  Experts  •  Ethical  •  with Integrity EAS Consulting Group, 1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 750, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA, (571) 447-5500 Manage preferences |
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