G/SPS/N/USA/3135  
 
21 November 2019  
(19-7932) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  US Food and Drug Administration  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  All food except meat, poultry, and processed egg products under 
the jurisdiction of the US Food Safety and Inspection Service; ICS Code(s): 67  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Laboratory Accreditation of Analyses of Foods; 
Proposed Rule . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  65 
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-11-04/pdf/2019 -23870.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/USA/19_6604_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Agency, or we) is 
proposing to amend its regulations to  establish a program for the testing of food in certain 
circumstances by accredited laboratories, as required under the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Establishing such a program will help FDA improve the safety 
of the US food supply and protect US consumers by helping ensure that certain food 
testing of importance to public health is conducted subject to appropriate oversight and 
in accordance with appropriate model standards, and produces reliable and valid test 
results.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant p rotection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No G/SPS/N/USA/3135  
 
- 2 - 
 
  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 3 March 2020 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Timothy McGrath, Staff Director, Food and Feed Laboratory Operations, Office of 
Regulatory Affairs, Food and Dr ug Administration, 12420 Parklawn Dr., Rm. 3142, 
Rockville, MD 20857, 301 796 6591; E -mail: timothy.mcgrath@fda.hhs.gov  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if  available) of other body:   
Text can be found in the US Federal Register, Vol. 84, No. 213, page 59452 or on the 
internet at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/p kg/FR -2019-11-04/pdf/2019 -23870.pdf