Project Title: Maintenance of Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) Infrastructure in Maryland FOA Title: Flexible Funding Model-Infrastructure Development and Maintenance for State Manufactured Food Regulatory Programs (U18) FOA Number RFA-FD-18-001 CFDA 93.367 Abstract Maryland has made significant contributions towards the goal of a nationally integrated food safety system (IFSS) through implementation of the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and creation of the State of Maryland Rapid Response Team (SMaRRT). This current proposal builds on the successes and achievements of both the Maryland MFRPS and SMaRRT, by further integration of both into the Maryland Department of Health Office of Food Protection (MDH OFP), to achieve the following key goals: (1) Maintain conformance with all 10 of the 2016 MFRPS standards; (2) Complete staff training to conduct PC rule inspections; (3) Work with industry to facilitate socialization and implement PC rules; (4) Continue to work toward mutual reliance with FDA to develop and implement an integrated food safety system in Maryland; (5) Continue the integration of SMaRRT with MFRPS through the incorporation of additional food regulatory personnel to SMaRRT activities and practices; (6) Establish SMarRRT as a learning organization and a center of excellence on technical aspects of the food industry committed to continued improvement and the operationalization of an integrated food safety system; and (7) Develop an information management infrastructure that complements and enables OFP and SMaRRT operational capacity through the effective management and presentation of laboratory, geographic, regulatory, and compliance data. Additionally, the proposal includes two special projects that address specific needs identified by MDH OFP. First, a radiological video training program that will provide training to investigators to enhance public health preparedness and just-in-time training for unforeseen emergency radiological events; second, a real world evaluation of rapid-tests used by industry and regulators will provide critical data to help regulators and industry alike assess the usefulness of these tools to validate and demonstrate adherence to preventative controls. Taken as a whole, the proposed project will enhance the ability of the MDH OFP to support a maturing IFSS program in Maryland. MDH OFP will continue our active collaboration with our State (MDH Infectious Disease, Epidemiology and Outbreak Response, MDH Laboratory Administration and Maryland Department of Agriculture) and regional partners to assure food safety and response to foodborne outbreaks. In-kind support by the MDH Office of Food Protection is critical to the success of this proposal and critical to this continued high functioning, proactive, cutting edge food safety organization.
This project maintains and expands two critical programs in the Maryland Department of Health Office of Food Protection, the Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and the State of Maryland Rapid Response Team (SMaRRT). These programs provide the infrastructure to maintain the integrity of the food manufacturing process in Maryland, through personnel training, protocols and standards for manufactured food inspection and licensing, and a rapid, coordinated response to foodborne outbreaks in conjunction with local, state, and federal food protection and public health partners.
