# Maryland Manufactured Foods Integrated Regulatory Program

> **NIH FDA U18** · MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH · 2020 · $450,000

## Abstract

Project Title: Maintenance of Manufactured Food
 Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) Infrastructure in Maryland
FOA Title: Flexible Funding Model-Infrastructure Development and Maintenance for State
 Manufactured Food Regulatory Programs (U18)
 FOA Number RFA-FD-18-001
 CFDA 93.367
Abstract
Maryland has made significant contributions towards the goal of a nationally integrated food safety system
(IFSS) through implementation of the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and
creation of the State of Maryland Rapid Response Team (SMaRRT). This current proposal builds on the
successes and achievements of both the Maryland MFRPS and SMaRRT, by further integration of both into
the Maryland Department of Health Office of Food Protection (MDH OFP), to achieve the following key
goals:
(1) Maintain conformance with all 10 of the 2016 MFRPS standards;
(2) Complete staff training to conduct PC rule inspections;
(3) Work with industry to facilitate socialization and implement PC rules;
(4) Continue to work toward mutual reliance with FDA to develop and implement an integrated food
safety system in Maryland;
(5) Continue the integration of SMaRRT with MFRPS through the incorporation of additional food
regulatory personnel to SMaRRT activities and practices;
(6) Establish SMarRRT as a learning organization and a center of excellence on technical aspects of
the food industry committed to continued improvement and the operationalization of an integrated
food safety system; and
(7) Develop an information management infrastructure that complements and enables OFP and
SMaRRT operational capacity through the effective management and presentation of laboratory,
geographic, regulatory, and compliance data.
Additionally, the proposal includes two special projects that address specific needs identified by MDH OFP.
First, a radiological video training program that will provide training to investigators to enhance public health
preparedness and just-in-time training for unforeseen emergency radiological events; second, a real world
evaluation of rapid-tests used by industry and regulators will provide critical data to help regulators and
industry alike assess the usefulness of these tools to validate and demonstrate adherence to preventative
controls.
Taken as a whole, the proposed project will enhance the ability of the MDH OFP to support a maturing IFSS
program in Maryland. MDH OFP will continue our active collaboration with our State (MDH Infectious
Disease, Epidemiology and Outbreak Response, MDH Laboratory Administration and Maryland Department
of Agriculture) and regional partners to assure food safety and response to foodborne outbreaks. In-kind
support by the MDH Office of Food Protection is critical to the success of this proposal and critical to this
continued high functioning, proactive, cutting edge food safety organization.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9961355
- **Project number:** 5U18FD006398-03
- **Recipient organization:** MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Alan Brench
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $450,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9961355

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9961355, Maryland Manufactured Foods Integrated Regulatory Program (5U18FD006398-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9961355. Licensed CC0.

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