Who must verify that foreign suppliers have adequate preventative controls in place?

• A. The importer
• B. The foreign supplier
• C. The FDA
• D. The state health department

Answer: (A)

Under FSMA’s Foreign Supplier Verification Programs, the importer is responsible for verifying that foreign suppliers have adequate preventive controls in place. This means the importer must carry out supplier verification activities—evaluating the supplier’s hazard analyses and preventive controls, obtaining evidence that controls are in place, conducting or arranging audits, reviewing monitoring and corrective-action records, and testing as needed—to ensure imported foods meet U.S. safety standards. The FDA oversees and enforces these requirements, but the actual verification work is the importer's obligation. The foreign supplier implements the preventive controls, not this verification role, and state health departments are not the parties charged with this responsibility.