Retail sellers of herbal dietary supplements, other supplements, natural foods, etc. can obtain a handbook detailing their rights and responsibilities in the event of an inspection from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA), the leading trade association for natural foods retailers, has recently revised its NNFA FDA Handbook for Retailers, originally published in 2000.
The handbook is a guide to assist member retailers in determining their rights and obligations during an FDA inspection, including what nutritional information they can provide to their customers regarding the products for sale in their stores. The revised 2005 version also includes new information related to the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (“The Bioterrorism Act”). Also, the handbook contains information regarding what an FDA inspector is allowed to do during an inspection, including whether he or she can take photographs, use a tape recorder, or collect samples, and much more.
NNFA members can download a PDF version of the handbook at the following link: www.nnfa.org/site/DocServer/FDA_Handbook_Retail.pdf. Retailers can learn about the benefits of NNFA membership at its website: www.nnfa.org.
Source: NNFA Update December 10, 2005
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