Understanding the Voluntary Identification System and Its Importance to Food Safety Cooperation
In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a major change to its digital service offerings with the introduction of the U.S. Agent Voluntary Identification System (VIS) for food facilities. This online platform allows agents to independently identify the facilities they represent, streamlining registration and verification for both domestic and foreign food facilities.
The VIS plays a crucial role in expediting FDA inspection processes. Companies and U.S. Agents utilizing this system can significantly improve collaboration between the private sector and regulators — as well as help support further digitalization and convenience in the food regulatory process.
What is the FDA’s Identification System?
Food facilities in the U.S. and abroad must register with the FDA in order to operate in compliance with federal law, and foreign facilities must have a U.S. Agent for communication with the FDA, either through a third party or among their U.S.-based staff. The VIS, alongside the FDA's Food Facility Registration Module (FFRM), streamlines the U.S. Agent verification process.
VIS is essentially an online portal that allows U.S. Agents to independently identify the facilities they represent and receive identification numbers from the FDA. By leveraging VIS, foreign food facilities can also opt to provide their U.S. Agent's identification number during registration, allowing them to receive their food facility registration number faster and align with FDA identification requirements more efficiently.
Why the New FDA Identification System Matters
FDA food facility registration is required for any food and beverage businesses operating in the U.S. Expediting the U.S. Agent identification process helps companies:
- Enjoy greater access, convenience, and efficiency during the verification process.
- Reduce data entry and manual touch points by digitalizing the FDA identification process.
- Speed up compliance with regulations by helping food facilities get FDA identification numbers more quickly.
- Avoid penalties by minimizing the time it takes to become compliant.
- Enter international trade by allowing foreign facilities to register for operation in the U.S.
The VIS is a major step forward for the FDA’s Industry Systems interface, improving collaboration between the agency and industry stakeholders for a more robust regulatory and food safety system.
How to Use the FDA Identification System
Once labor intensive and requiring a long verification process, the new VIS consolidates the entire U.S. Agent registration workflow into a simple and easy-to-use online portal available through the food facility registration module. The platform allows users to fill out a U.S. Agent profile manually or link to an already-created profile in the account.
To create a U.S. Agent I.D.:
- Log into the FDA Industry Systems (FIS).
- Choose "FURLS Food Facility Registration Module (FFRM)" option.
- Click on the “U.S. Agent Voluntary Identification System” option.
- Fill out U.S. Agent contact information manually and press the submit button. The system will send you an activation link to complete the process and receive your identification number.
- You can also link your account by entering the U.S. Agent I.D. and Pin Number provided by another U.S. Agent.
Once registered, the platform will provide a U.S. Agent ID and PIN number. Users can then assign the U.S. Agent profile to a food facility profile in the system. This same portal also allows users to make updates to a U.S. Agent profile, register foreign facilities, and more.
Streamline FDA Compliance With AIB International
The VIS represents a major breakthrough in streamlining the U.S. Agent registration process, freeing up significant time for food and beverage companies, as well as resources for the FDA. While the new system does make initial compliance easier and more efficient, registration is just one of the hundreds of food safety regulations to consider. Getting expert help with compliance is critical to succeeding in today’s market.
AIB International has over 100 years of experience training food facility staff, supporting food safety certifications, and even helping companies prepare for FDA inspections. Have a challenge in your facility you’re trying to overcome? Assign an expert from AIB International for help, today.
