Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations represent a paradigm shift in how food is regulated in the United States to protect consumers from foodborne illness. The act and its corresponding regulations not only place more responsibility on food manufacturers, but also provide FDA with substantial new authority to use when inspecting facilities.

The food industry has been fighting the deadly bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) for decades. Drawing on experience, science and technology, the industry has made great progress in devising strategies to prevent product contamination.

Today, consumers in the United States can experience a huge variety of affordable, fresh and innovative dairy foods, not only from across the country, but also from around the globe, just by visiting the local grocery store — an experience that was considered impossible only a few decades ago. Advances in food science, processing, packaging and a tremendous expansion of the cold chain distribution system are a few of the ways by which this progress has been achieved.