Food Canning Establishment registration needed for some food processors
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EmailAre you making low-acid, high-acid or acidified foods? You’ll need to register your kitchen.
Since food safety is a major issue the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a need to trace food products back to their origin in order to prevent and correct problems related to foodborne illness. One of the methods used by the FDA is the registration of a Food Canning Establishment. Registration allows the FDA to accurately locate businesses when problems occur or for normal inspections.
All food processors who make low acid and acidified foods must register their establishment. For those start-up processors working in shared use kitchens should check to insure that their kitchen has a FCE registration on file. Additionally, foreign manufacturers are required to register if their products are sold in the United States.
Registration must be completed within ten days of the start of manufacturing and foreign firms must complete registration prior to product entry into the United States. To register, food processors must complete FDA Form 2541.
The registration form requires the physical location of the facility, a preferred mailing address, the types of products being produced and the name of a responsible party. For more information please see the FDA Acidified and Low Acid Canned Foods webpage.
Michigan State University Extension educators and innovation counselors at the MSU Product Center – Food, Ag, Bio are ready to assist food processors in the development of the products. The MSU Product Center – Food, Ag, Bio provides food safety testing and assistance to help Michigan entrepreneurs develop and commercialize high-value, consumer–responsive products and businesses in the value-added agriculture, food, and natural resources sectors. For more information, visit the center’s website or call 517-432-8750.
