the feed

This week, the 9th edition of the Safe Quality Food (SQF) code went into effect, changing the way many of our customers pursue and maintain a Food Safety Culture. This code is one of many that ultimately helps companies meet the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarked standards through the SQF certification program.

During my last blog on this topic, I provided a simple overview of the new SQF edition and covered the basics of what you need to know to prepare for the new requirements. Many of these new additions to the code will require food producers to alter the way they implement, measure, and report food safety processes. In this blog, I’ll cover six new requirements under Edition 9, Section 2.1.1, that address senior management’s role in leading and supporting a proper food safety culture, and implementation processes.

As you may know, the 9th edition of the Safe Quality Food (SQF) codes goes into effect on May 24. Many of our clients seek accreditation with the SQF code for its ability to verify food producers are meeting industry, customer, and regulatory requirement for all sectors of the food supply chain. Here's a simple overview of what you need to know to prepare.

It’s time to start getting pumped about this year’s SQF Global Conference! This industry leading event will be virtual this year but will still offer stellar educational programs by talented speakers. Here’s what you can expect:

Let’s start with something most people forget when it comes to audits: Auditors are people. And they’re not out to get you! They don’t want to find anything wrong in your workplace or facility. In fact, they want you to score well during the audit process.

And yet companies and people will focus specifically on whether or not they pass. Driving company sales, as well as individual bonuses or promotions, can hinge upon a good score. But a good score isn’t the point an audit exists — ensuring safety is!

Verification and validation seem similar. Both are included as part of HACCP Principle Number 6 for verification. Both are talked about simultaneously. So, is there really a difference? Yes! A big difference!

Environmental monitoring has become the center of attention for good reason lately. New requirements by FDA and GFSI standards have raised the importance of environmental monitoring programs (EMP’s).

Food safety is more important than ever — and not following proper protocol can lead to lives lost, not to mention hurt profits, tarnished brands, and low consumer trust. The new SQF Fundamentals Code outlines 6 common causes of food safety hazards to watch out for and account for in your food safety plan. Learn how to spot if they apply to you, and how to implement a solution before you risk failing an audit, or worse, compromising consumers’ safety. For more on the new SQF Fundamentals Code, watch the full webinar with SQFI.

2018 has been the year of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly in the food industry. The Ugly is still going on right now with the two major foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls plaguing the industry. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises not to serve or sell any Romaine Lettuce contaminated with E. Coli O157:H7 from the Central Coastal growing regions of North and Central California. This outbreak has resulted in 52 cases in 15 states with 19 hospitalized and two of the 19 experiencing kidney failure. The CDC expects these numbers to rise as more cases are brought to light.

It’s time to get excited about the SQF Conference in Atlanta on October 23-25. This conference is an industry leading event with great educational programs by talented speakers. You will also learn more about the updated SQF Code requirements and have a great opportunity to network with your peers. I will be presenting with Frank Schreurs of SQFI on the new SQF Quality Code and hope to see you there! Read further for more on the new SQF Food Safety Fundamentals Course, SQF Edition 8 status, and the SQF Quality Code.

Food companies, take note of an important deadline: September 17th is the final date for all facilities to meet PCQI requirements.

As a refresher, FSMA’s Final Rule for Preventive Controls for Human Food requires every food facility to have competent Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQIs) write or perform reanalysis on their Food Safety Plan. While the PCQI requirement isn’t exactly “new,” (the bill was signed into law in 2015 and rollouts have been happening for the past two years, according to company size), the upcoming September date is the final deadline for all businesses to comply, including small businesses with fewer than 500 full-time employees. 

Are you ready for BRC Issue 8? The new BRC Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 8 is here! The final Global Standard for Food Safety Issue 8 was published August 1st. All GFSI standards are required to be updated at least every three years for the benchmarking process. These updates provide the GFSI Program Owners the opportunity to continually improve their standards and meet updated benchmarking requirements.

The food industry has seen significant fallout amid recent widely publicized foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls related to romaine lettuce and shell eggs. In USDA regulated facilities, there have been 6 recalls in the past month. Four of these were related to foreign matter contamination, one for E. Coli O157:H7 contamination and one for processing deviations.

Statistical Process Control (SPC) is top of mind for the food industry. The recent changes to the SQF Quality Code have prompted new interest, since additional requirements for SPC training and applications have been added to the code. In addition, progressive companies recognize the benefit of using SPC applications throughout the manufacturing process at key process control steps.

A solid HACCP plan protects your business, brand, and consumers. HACCP is a process control system designed to identify and document the right steps to protect food safety. From there, a hazard analysis is documented. Then critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective action, verification, and recordkeeping procedures are identified. The HACCP system proves products are safe — from manufacturing to consumption.

Do you know the difference between a HACCP Plan and a Food Safety Plan? Do you know if your facility requires a designated Preventive Controls Qualified Individual or HACCP Trained I­­­ndividual? Jeff Chilton, VP of Professional Services at Alchemy Systems answers frequently asked questions and more.