Third-Party Certification and Inspection Modernization Act of 2026

This bill expands the accredited third-party certification program under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, allowing more entities to participate in food safety audits and broadening the use of certifications for regulatory purposes.

Sec. 2, Expansion of the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program: The bill revises definitions to include foreign or domestic entities in the food supply chain as eligible for audits, and clarifies that regulatory audits determine compliance for food or facility certifications. It removes limitations on certifications, allowing them to be used for imported food requirements, the voluntary qualified importer program, and for analyzing risks and prioritizing inspections. The bill also requires the Secretary to establish a system for recognizing accreditation bodies within two years, and makes technical amendments to update references and remove outdated language. Additionally, it adds a new factor for identifying facilities for inspection: whether a facility holds a certification aligned with FDA preventive control regulations.