Thank you to those that were able to attend our recent FSPCA Training for Fiesta Canning in Arizona taught in Spanish.
To learn more and register for any of our upcoming classes, please visit our website: http://superiorfoodsafety.com/
Monday, February 26, 2018
Friday, February 23, 2018
FDA Food Recalls Up Nearly 93% Since 2012
Bacterial contamination and undeclared allergens lead the way in causes.
Over the past five years, the food and beverage industry has seen a big increase in the units recalled—a 92.7% spike in FDA recalls and an 83.4% increase in recalled pounds by USDA since 2012, according to Stericycle’s quarterly recall index. The firm cites technological advances in food testing, factory farming and more automation in food production as the main contributors to the high numbers.
During Q4 2017, bacterial contamination and undeclared allergens led the pack in food recall causes. According to Stericycle, back in 2012, about 28% of FDA food recalls were a result of bacterial contamination, while undeclared allergens accounted for 35% of pounds of food recalled by USDA. During Q4 2017, 44% of food recalls (based on units) were from bacterial contamination, followed by undeclared allergens (31%), mislabeling (13%), and quality (10%). Among the top categories for recalls were prepared foods (20%, nuts and seeds (16%), produce (15%) and baked goods (12%). In addition, nearly 50% of the USDA recalled pounds were a result of lack of inspection.
Article Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/fda-food-recalls-nearly-93-since-2012/
Over the past five years, the food and beverage industry has seen a big increase in the units recalled—a 92.7% spike in FDA recalls and an 83.4% increase in recalled pounds by USDA since 2012, according to Stericycle’s quarterly recall index. The firm cites technological advances in food testing, factory farming and more automation in food production as the main contributors to the high numbers.
During Q4 2017, bacterial contamination and undeclared allergens led the pack in food recall causes. According to Stericycle, back in 2012, about 28% of FDA food recalls were a result of bacterial contamination, while undeclared allergens accounted for 35% of pounds of food recalled by USDA. During Q4 2017, 44% of food recalls (based on units) were from bacterial contamination, followed by undeclared allergens (31%), mislabeling (13%), and quality (10%). Among the top categories for recalls were prepared foods (20%, nuts and seeds (16%), produce (15%) and baked goods (12%). In addition, nearly 50% of the USDA recalled pounds were a result of lack of inspection.
Article Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/fda-food-recalls-nearly-93-since-2012/
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
On-site PRIVATE Classes in English & Spanish and Consulting Services
Classes Available in English & Spanish
and Consulting Services
WE OFFER PUBLIC AND ON-SITE TRAINING CLASSES:
- HACCP Workshop
- Implementing SQF Training - Version 8.0 - English and Spanish
- FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods
- FSPCA For Human Food Compliance
- Produce Safety Rule Training Official Program
- SQF Quality Systems For Food Manufacturers
- Internal and External GFSI Audits
- Crisis Management
- Gluten Free Certification Program
- SQF Advance Practitioner Course
- Prerequisite Programs
WE ALSO OFFER:
- Food Safety Consulting Services
Saturday, February 17, 2018
FSPCA Preventive Controls For Human Food - March 14-16 - Only $150!!
FSPCA Preventive Control for Human Food
DATE AND TIME
DATE AND TIME
Wed, Mar 14, 2018, 8:00 AM –
Fri, Mar 16, 2018, 5:00 PM PDT
LOCATION
Napa Valley College
2277 Napa Vallejo Highway
Room 3004
Napa, CA 94558
Only $150!!
DESCRIPTION
The FSPCA training materials are designed to meet the requirements for training under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117.155 for the Preventive Controls “Qualified Individual” who conducts Food Safety Plan activities such as developing and reviewing a food safety plan, validating preventive controls, verifying and validating process controls among others. Attending an FSPCA course will provide assurances that the course content and resulting knowledge is consistent with regulatory expectations. Each facility registered with the FDA is required to have a Preventive Control Qualified Individual PCQI.
A preventive controls qualified individual is a person who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum from FSPCA.
The FSPCA program is based on collaboration among federal and state regulatory officials (FDA), academic food safety researchers and educators, and U.S. food industry representatives. This program is delivered by a FSPCA Lead Instructor.
This course meets the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Training requirements. The participants will receive FSPCA Preventive Controls Qualified Individual certificate issued by AFDO.
Includes: Morning and afternoon snack breaks, Lunch, Course Materials and Certificate of Attendance.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
USDA PDP Report: Farmers Doing a Good Job Complying with Regulations
Fruit and vegetable farmers are doing an “impressive” job of complying with the laws and regulations related to pesticide use in production, according to the USDA’s annual Pesticide Data Program (PDP) report. Based on data from 2016, the report found that more than 99% of samples had pesticide residues that were “well below” the EPA’s established tolerances, and more than 23% had no detectable residues. Less than half-a-percent of samples (0.46%) had residues that exceeded the EPA established tolerance.
To compile the PDP report, surveys were conducted in 2016 on several foods, including eggs, milk, and fresh and processed fruit and vegetables. The report contains data from more than 10,000 samples collected throughout the United States.
A release from the Alliance for Food and Farming states that the U.S. food supply is one of the safest in the world, yet: “Activists groups often manipulate the findings from the USDA PDP report taking the very positive results and somehow turning them into something negative. This tactic has been used routinely for 20-plus years to create a so-called ‘dirty dozen’ list, which has been repeatedly discredited by scientists.”
Article Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/usda-pdp-report-farmers-good-job-complying-regulations/
Sunday, February 11, 2018
FSPCA Preventive Controls For Human Food - March 14-16 - Only $150!!
FSPCA Preventive Control for Human Food
DATE AND TIME
DATE AND TIME
Wed, Mar 14, 2018, 8:00 AM –
Fri, Mar 16, 2018, 5:00 PM PDT
LOCATION
Napa Valley College
2277 Napa Vallejo Highway
Room 3004
Napa, CA 94558
Only $150!!
DESCRIPTION
The FSPCA training materials are designed to meet the requirements for training under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117.155 for the Preventive Controls “Qualified Individual” who conducts Food Safety Plan activities such as developing and reviewing a food safety plan, validating preventive controls, verifying and validating process controls among others. Attending an FSPCA course will provide assurances that the course content and resulting knowledge is consistent with regulatory expectations. Each facility registered with the FDA is required to have a Preventive Control Qualified Individual PCQI.
A preventive controls qualified individual is a person who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under the standardized curriculum from FSPCA.
The FSPCA program is based on collaboration among federal and state regulatory officials (FDA), academic food safety researchers and educators, and U.S. food industry representatives. This program is delivered by a FSPCA Lead Instructor.
This course meets the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual Training requirements. The participants will receive FSPCA Preventive Controls Qualified Individual certificate issued by AFDO.
Includes: Morning and afternoon snack breaks, Lunch, Course Materials and Certificate of Attendance.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Current 2018 Classes
Current 2018 Classes - Enroll Now!
FSPCA Preventive Controls For Human Food
SQF 8 Quality Systems For Food Manufacturers
*DATE CHANGE
SQF Food Safety Code For Manufacturing Edition 8
GFSI Internal & External Audit Workshop
Monday, February 5, 2018
USDA Proposes Rule to Make Egg Products Safer
Plants would need to establish HACCP systems and sanitation SOPs.
Earlier this week the USDA’s FSIS proposed to amend inspection regulations, modernizing food safety inspection systems, in an effort to make egg products safer. It would require official plants that process egg products to develop HACCP systems, sanitation standard operating procedures and meet sanitation requirements consistent with meat and poultry regulations.
“FSIS is proposing that official plants will be required to produce egg products in such a way that the finished product is free of detectable pathogens,” according to a USDA news release. “The regulatory amendment also uses agency’s resources more efficiently and removes unnecessary regulatory obstacles to innovation.”
FSIS will also be taking over jurisdiction of egg substitutes.
According to the agency, the financial impact of the proposed rule could be minimal, as it states 93% of egg products plants already have a written HACCP plan that deals with at least one production step in the process.
Once published in the Federal Register, a 120-comment period will go into effect.
Article Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/usda-proposes-rule-make-egg-products-safer/
Earlier this week the USDA’s FSIS proposed to amend inspection regulations, modernizing food safety inspection systems, in an effort to make egg products safer. It would require official plants that process egg products to develop HACCP systems, sanitation standard operating procedures and meet sanitation requirements consistent with meat and poultry regulations.
“FSIS is proposing that official plants will be required to produce egg products in such a way that the finished product is free of detectable pathogens,” according to a USDA news release. “The regulatory amendment also uses agency’s resources more efficiently and removes unnecessary regulatory obstacles to innovation.”
FSIS will also be taking over jurisdiction of egg substitutes.
According to the agency, the financial impact of the proposed rule could be minimal, as it states 93% of egg products plants already have a written HACCP plan that deals with at least one production step in the process.
Once published in the Federal Register, a 120-comment period will go into effect.
Article Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/usda-proposes-rule-make-egg-products-safer/
Saturday, February 3, 2018
On-site PRIVATE Classes in English & Spanish and Consulting Services
Classes Available in English & Spanish
and Consulting Services
WE OFFER PUBLIC AND ON-SITE TRAINING CLASSES:
- HACCP Workshop
- Implementing SQF Training - Version 8.0 - English and Spanish
- FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Foods
- FSPCA For Human Food Compliance
- Produce Safety Rule Training Official Program
- SQF Quality Systems For Food Manufacturers
- Internal and External GFSI Audits
- Crisis Management
- Gluten Free Certification Program
- SQF Advance Practitioner Course
- Prerequisite Programs
WE ALSO OFFER:
- Food Safety Consulting Services
Friday, February 2, 2018
Can You Defend Your Food Safety Plan?
Successfully doing so could be the difference between a routine audit and a recall.
As a food safety plan manager, do you ever get asked these questions regarding your food safety plan: What was your thought process for making this decision? Why do you do it this way? How do you answer this?
And, do you ever answer with one of the following statements:
If this is one of your answers, defending your food safety plan may be a challenge. There is a major shift taking place in the world of food safety. With the implementation of FSMA Preventive Controls, the widespread adoption of GFSI audits, along with advanced technologies such as rapid pathogen and allergen detection, whole genome sequencing, and transparency efforts such as Blockchain, as well as with the increasing use of social media and access of information via the internet, food industry professionals are more educated and informed than ever before and ready to challenge your every move. As a food safety plan manager, you and your team must be ready! Being prepared to defend your food safety plan can be the difference between a recall and a routine audit. If you cannot fully explain the reasoning behind your decision-making, then how will you be able to prove that you are in complete control and are being proactive against food safety hazards? It will not be easy.
You must be ready to defend each and every part of your food safety plan. You must be able to defend questions and challenges with certainty and facts. Every decision made in your hazard analysis should be written down and backed with factual evidence whenever possible. Even the “none identified” areas should be backed by strong reasoning if no other factual evidence is available. You can use the data that you collect daily to help justify your decisions. Data collected from your prerequisite programs (ATP swab results, allergen cleaning validations, GMP audit findings, pest control trends, etc.) and food safety plan (CCP’s, validations, verifications) is all support for your decisions. Have this on file and ready to review when necessary.
If something looks out of the ordinary in your plan, make sure you can fully explain it and can back it with solid justification. If not, auditors, regulators, customers, etc. may start to become suspicious, which can lead to unwanted questions. You will then oftentimes start to get suggestions for change based on others’ individual expertise. Regulators may make “strong suggestions” for changes, for instance, and some people will just go along with it to avoid the pushback or because they simply don’t have a better solution. If this happens, soon your plan is no longer yours—it’s everyone’s. Some of these suggestions may be good, but is it really the right change for your plan? If not, it will often make the plan less rational and often difficult to defend.
The following are tips to help you avoid this situation.
As a food safety plan manager, do you ever get asked these questions regarding your food safety plan: What was your thought process for making this decision? Why do you do it this way? How do you answer this?
And, do you ever answer with one of the following statements:
- I’m not sure? What do you mean?
- That’s the way it has always been.
- Our customer asked us to do it that way.
- That’s what our last auditor recommended.
- We make a low-risk product.
If this is one of your answers, defending your food safety plan may be a challenge. There is a major shift taking place in the world of food safety. With the implementation of FSMA Preventive Controls, the widespread adoption of GFSI audits, along with advanced technologies such as rapid pathogen and allergen detection, whole genome sequencing, and transparency efforts such as Blockchain, as well as with the increasing use of social media and access of information via the internet, food industry professionals are more educated and informed than ever before and ready to challenge your every move. As a food safety plan manager, you and your team must be ready! Being prepared to defend your food safety plan can be the difference between a recall and a routine audit. If you cannot fully explain the reasoning behind your decision-making, then how will you be able to prove that you are in complete control and are being proactive against food safety hazards? It will not be easy.
You must be ready to defend each and every part of your food safety plan. You must be able to defend questions and challenges with certainty and facts. Every decision made in your hazard analysis should be written down and backed with factual evidence whenever possible. Even the “none identified” areas should be backed by strong reasoning if no other factual evidence is available. You can use the data that you collect daily to help justify your decisions. Data collected from your prerequisite programs (ATP swab results, allergen cleaning validations, GMP audit findings, pest control trends, etc.) and food safety plan (CCP’s, validations, verifications) is all support for your decisions. Have this on file and ready to review when necessary.
If something looks out of the ordinary in your plan, make sure you can fully explain it and can back it with solid justification. If not, auditors, regulators, customers, etc. may start to become suspicious, which can lead to unwanted questions. You will then oftentimes start to get suggestions for change based on others’ individual expertise. Regulators may make “strong suggestions” for changes, for instance, and some people will just go along with it to avoid the pushback or because they simply don’t have a better solution. If this happens, soon your plan is no longer yours—it’s everyone’s. Some of these suggestions may be good, but is it really the right change for your plan? If not, it will often make the plan less rational and often difficult to defend.
The following are tips to help you avoid this situation.
- Meet with your food safety team regularly. Go through each part of your food safety plan and figure out how to answer the “why’s”. Why are things done this way? Why did we decide if this hazard was significant or not? Have annual reviews to make sure your plan is still functioning as originally intended and review new industry trends to be proactive regarding new potential hazards.
- Write a process narrative. Writing a process narrative documenting what happens at each step of your process and explaining your “thought process” for making decisions is a great support tool. It gives your team a chance to elaborate on the “justification” column in the hazard analysis, providing more decision-making details without crowding the hazard analysis form.
- Gather supporting documents. Scientific studies, guidance documents, expert opinions, etc. are vital pieces to have in your supporting documents library. Make sure it is appropriate for your individual products and the documents are from reputable sources, such as FDA, USDA, universities, process authorities, etc. Oh, and don’t forget about history! A reputable supplier with a long track record of safe product, a low history of recalls for the products you produce, etc. can help justify your decision-making.
- Conduct Internal Audits. Having an internal audit schedule and well-trained internal auditors help with finding inconsistencies within your program and allow you to make corrections before outside parties find these issues.
- Prepare. Have a “mock audit” and prepare for questions that are commonly asked during audits. Practice your answers and make sure you have supporting evidence when needed. Stay up-to-date with industry trends, especially common audit non-conformances.
- Be organized. It’s great to have all the supporting documents that you need, but if you cannot find them, then you just as well have nothing.
- Be confident. People, especially experienced auditors and inspectors, can quickly sense fear and lack of confidence. This often prompts more questions. Knowledge is power, and knowledge also builds confidence. Simply put, the more knowledgeable you are about your food safety plan, the more confident you will be when someone is trying to test you.
- Continuously Improve. It’s understandable that mistakes will be made. However, the next logical question you will be asked is: What did you do about it? Remember, for every nonconformance you find in your system, there should be a correction or corrective and preventive action to address it. It must not simply restate the problem, but legitimately correct the issue. This will give regulators, auditors, customers and anyone else looking at your system confidence that you are in control and can provide a consistently safe product.
Article Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/column/can-defend-food-safety-plan/
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