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Valuable Information for Companies in the Food Industry |
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Welcome to PSV Food Safety Consultants
Greetings!
Welcome to our newsletter. It delivers important news and information, as well as identifying useful resources that can enhance your organization's competitiveness in the food industry. Our focus is on helping you to achieve and maintain an approved GFSI food safety certification. In doing so, we typically become a valued business partner to our clients. |
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Can Food Products Ever Become 100% Safe?
Despite the efforts of companies in the food industry, the nation continues to experience food-related illnesses and recalls on a regular basis. This raises the question, "Can food products ever be made 100 percent safe?
 The sad truth is "Probably not." There are just too many variables in food production and supply chains to catch everything. But with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and its implementation under the FDA, food products can be made "safer."
Just think of all the opportunities for adulteration in the food supply chain, a few of which include:
- Cross contamination in preparation facilities or from other foods.
- Temperature variations in transporting and storing crops, meats and packaged food products.
- Incorrect or unclear labeling (which impacts those with food allergies).
- Improper cooking procedures.
- Unpasteurized milk, raw fish, raw eggs and other high-risk foods.
Moreover, products from farms with annual sales less than $250,000 are not covered by the FSMA. Nor are beef, chicken, pork, and processed egg products which are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture, an agency subject to heavy industry lobbying to reduce costs. Plus, there are so many different foodborne infections that it is highly doubtful that all instances of E. Coli, Salmonella and Listeria, for example, can ever be eliminated. The best that companies in food-related industries can do is to implement a certified food safety program, be complaint with evolving FDA regulations, maintain accurate record-keeping and be prepared with a tested recall program.
We can help. Food Safety Consultants is a North American network of expert consultants designed to assist organizations in the food industry in becoming certified to globally accepted GFSI standards. Contact us for a free consultation. |
