Rhode Island's Maintenance of its State Manufactured Food Regulatory Program

Grant Proposal Abstract Title: Rhode Island's Maintenance of its State Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Funding Opportunity Announcement Number (FOA): RFA-FD-23-027 The RI Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection (CFP), proposes to maintain and sustain a risk-based manufactured food regulatory program in Rhode Island (RI) to conform to national standards. This program will reduce foodborne illness and injury by identifying potential prevention practices, and will ultimately protect the public and industry by minimizing the time between agency notification of a human food contamination event and the implementation of effective control measures. RIDOH will continue to place an emphasis on building mutual reliance with all programs. The Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) Coordinator will be responsible for managing the grant under the direction of the Principal Investigator to maintain conformance with the 2022 MFRPS. The MFRPS Coordinator will also manage the annual Task Force meeting and outreach efforts to industry. All projects and work products will be shared with FDA and other states to support the national integration effort. RI will remain actively involved in national initiatives related to the enhancement of MFRPS and will provide continued assistance to newer state programs that may benefit from RI’s experience. In addition to internal auditing, RI will work with the FDA Office of Partnerships and FDA/ORA Office of Operations Audit Staff to identify areas for improvement. During the three (3) year grant award RIDOH will: (1) maintain a manufactured food program that is able to sustain conformance with MFRPS and contribute to a nationally integrated food safety system (IFSS); (2) continue to work with FDA to improve the quality of contracts, coordination of inspections, investigations and enforcement to effectively and efficiently to protect public health to further the IFSS; (3) maintain the manufactured food inspection and compliance program which incorporates the regulatory framework and authority to facilitate the IFSS; (4) maintain implementation of the Preventive Control Rule while continuing to identify and address areas of improvement; (5) maintain an information sharing agreement with FDA; (6) continue to work with the State Laboratory and Rapid Response team on proper MFRPS response, enforcement and regulatory framework.