[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR1.360]

[Page 42-43]
 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                                SERVICES
 
PART 1_GENERAL ENFORCEMENT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
    Subpart J_Establishment, Maintenance, and Availability of Records
 
Sec.  1.360  What are the record retention requirements?

    (a) You must create the required records when you receive and 
release food, except to the extent that the information is contained in 
existing records.
    (b) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 6 months after 
the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any 
food having a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of 
palatability within 60 days after the date you receive or release the 
food.
    (c) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 1 year after 
the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any 
food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of 
palatability occurs only after a minimum of 60 days, but within 6 
months, after the date you receive or release the food.
    (d) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 2 years after 
the dates you receive and release the food all required records for any 
food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of 
palatability does not occur sooner than 6 months after the date you 
receive or release the food, including foods preserved by freezing, 
dehydrating, or being placed in a hermetically sealed container.
    (e) If you are a nontransporter, you must retain for 1 year after 
the dates you receive and release the food all required records for 
animal food, including pet food.
    (f) If you are a transporter or nontransporter retaining records on 
behalf of a transporter, you must retain for 6 months after the dates 
you receive and release the food all required records for any food 
having a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of 
palatability within 60 days after the date the transporter receives or 
releases the food. If you are a transporter, or nontransporter retaining 
records on behalf of a transporter, you must retain for 1 year after the 
dates you receive and release the food, all required records for any 
food for which a significant risk of spoilage, loss of value, or loss of 
palatability occurs only after a minimum of 60 days after the date the 
transporter receives or releases the food.
    (g) You must retain all records at the establishment where the 
covered activities described in the records occurred (onsite) or at a 
reasonably accessible location.

[[Page 43]]

    (h) The maintenance of electronic records is acceptable. Electronic 
records are considered to be onsite if they are accessible from an 
onsite location.