The International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), a partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), has released three resources to help support industry compliance with the Sanitary Transportation of Food Regulation.
According to IRTA, these resources were developed due to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issuing the Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food (STF) ruling in April 2016 to improve the safe, efficient movement of food worldwide through required, documented sanitary practices. The rule has the potential to hugely impact members of the temperature-controlled transportation sector, as shippers, loaders, carriers by motor or rail vehicle and receivers involved in transporting human and animal food must take action to comply.
To address concerns surrounding the rule, GCCA assembled a Task Force of representatives from IRTA member companies, including leaders in refrigerated trucking, third-party logistics, warehousing, manufacturers, and the scientific community, the association said. After months of discussions, the IRTA Refrigerated Transportation Best Practices Task Force completed work on three new resources related to the rule.
The Refrigerated Transportation Best Practices Guide assists shippers in understanding and preparing qualified and attainable food safety plans and transportation requirements.
“We are so excited to lead the charge on industry compliance on the sanitary transportation of food by developing these new resources,” said Don Durm, vice president, customer solutions – PLM Trailer Leasing and member of the IRTA Task Force. “I have no doubt that anyone – from a shipper to a carrier to a receiver – can use our matrix, guide and summary to improve their operations and prepare for compliance.”
