SafetyChain Blog

Achieving audit-readiness and regulatory compliance are two of the most complex challenges the food industry faces. For Sokol and Company, a food products supplier with a vast product line, keeping up with new FSMA regulations and preparing for audits was daunting, and introduced a need for a new food safety management solution.

With SafetyChain LINK Auditor View, now it’s easy for food companies to build better relationships with their auditors.

Emerging Technology Helps Food Audits Run Smoother

Face it: food safety audits can be stressful, taking weeks if not months of preparation time.  When the time comes, the more organized, prepared, and transparent a food manufacturer can be, the faster and easier the audit becomes for both the company and the auditor. As a result, both can focus more time and energy on finding productive ways to improve processes rather than plowing through piles of paper. 

Now, SafetyChain LINK Auditor View makes it easy for food companies to share all records and information required within the purview of an audit, without overwhelming their auditors with unnecessary or extraneous information.

In the world of food manufacturing, audit compliance is among the most critical elements to a company’s success. Yet, it is also one of the most challenging aspects of food quality and safety management. Here are a few of the ongoing obstacles organizations must overcome.

To move beyond basic compliance, food and beverage companies must mitigate risks in three major areas: product recalls, regulatory non-compliance, and pathogen contamination/food-borne illnesses. The most effective strategy for doing so is adopting an enterprise risk management process. This allows companies to take a proactive look at food safety management.

For our September 2018 session, Christopher Snabes, MS, CFS, Senior Food Safety Director with The Acheson Group, joined SafetyChain for an update on current FSMA activities and to provide an overview of best practices for Hazard Analysis.

GFSI certification can help your company improve its food safety and quality outcomes, secure a competitive place in the market, and maintain a positive brand reputation. Yet, effectively managing GFSI requirements using your company’s existing resources can add new challenges. To combat these challenges, many companies are implementing food safety technology.

Your organization’s risk management approach comprises many factors, requiring a deep look into both corporate and facility-based risk management. It also should encompass your food safety programs and the knowledge and training of personnel. Nowadays, companies are also leveraging operational data to improve their risk programs. Here, we explore the process of risk assessment as well as three other elements of a holistic approach to risk management.

The FDA has conducted its first series of inspections around the Preventive Controls and Foreign Supplier Verification rules. Here are some of the most noteworthy takeaways companies have gathered from their FSMA inspections in the first half of 2018.

The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has been called the most sweeping reform of U.S. food safety laws in seven decades. Its main purpose is to protect public health using a proactive, instead of reactive, approach to food safety. FSMA also granted the FDA new enforcement authorities to improve compliance with prevention- and risk-based food safety practices. Because it encompasses such a robust overhaul of food safety regulation, efforts to finalize laws and put legislation into effect have been ongoing since FSMA was signed into law in 2011.

Effective food supplier management is a resource-intensive endeavor for food and beverage companies. Ensuring your suppliers are aligning with the food safety regulations and customer requirements your facility must follow is no easy task. While manufacturers and processors have historically relied on offline systems to oversee vendor management, many are finding that web-based tools can transform their processes to drive efficiency and compliance.