What foods have drugs in them? How do the drugs get there? What impact can these foods have on humans? What impact can a recall of pharmaceutically contaminated foods have on your business?

Processors, packers, distributors and other food supply chain members need to know which foods are becoming illegal due to newly enacted laws and potential impact to segments of the consumer population.

Antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, antidepressants, allergies, inappropriately labeled GMO (biotechnology) in foods cause interactions between the drug in the food and drugs consumed by humans. Many of these foods are making recall headlines costing the food supply chain millions of dollars in lost revenue.

A basic understanding of pharmaceutically contaminated foods is critical to any food safety program.

With the Supply Chain Rules issued under FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) preventive controls, food supply chain members now share liability as a result of their inability to identify and help control foods deemed to be harmful as a result of pharmaceutical contamination. Learn where to look to see if your suppliers are in violation of Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) food residue violations

States are establishing laws against the use of drugs in animal feeds regardless of federal resistance to such laws. Biotechnology companies are creating animal feeds and crop proteins that are pharmaceuticals, vaccines, or industrial enzymes for use in biochemical laboratories. The use of many of these drugs is illegal in some states and other countries.

This initial review will help food safety, quality, processor, buyer, compliance and other food supply chain members to begin to investigate the impact of pharmaceutical contamination in the foods they purchase, process, import and sell. We will also cover traceability issues critical to the appropriate location and identification of pharmaceutically impacted foods in the event of recalls.