Regulatory Food Science professionals must read the full text of FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg's "Suspension Letter" issued to Sunland Inc. in connection with the latest peanut product contamination incident.

This is the first use of FDA's newly granted authority to suspend the registration of Food Facilities and block all sales and movement of the relevant products in both interstate and intrastate commerce as well as the import or export of these products.

This unprecedented move to assert its authority comes in the wake of the extraordinary criticism of FDA over the NECC matter. It is also possibly associated with the increased confidence of current FDA senior officials following the re-election of President Obama to his second term.

We also believe that we will see the FSMA implementation process move forward rapidly in the new regulatory environment.

The FDA Suspension Letter of Nov. 26, 2012 is posted below: