Short-wave ultraviolet irradiation (UV-C, 200−280 nm) offers one of the most promising, non-thermal technologies that could provide food processors with a safe, energy-efficient, and cost-effective way to gain an added measure of safety and extended shelf life. This article will discuss pros and cons of the existing UV units and introduce new commercial UV technology that can be used to treat products with low and extra low UV-C light transmission (UVT).
In early March, I had the opportunity to sit on a panel discussion with several GFSI stakeholders, representing all aspects of the GFSI certification process. Moderated by Neil Marshall, global director of quality & safety strategy policy and programs at Coca-Cola; and Chris Lomauro, quality manager at General Mills, our conversation rotated around this scenario: a brand owner found an issue with a supplier who has been previously audited and certified to a GFSI benchmarked program.
For years, the food industry has listened to predictions about the growth of online grocery shopping, but was hesitant to prepare for the unknown. Now, through innovative delivery and supply chain models, the industry is more capable of responding to consumers’ growing set of complex demands, such as e-commerce.
Compared to the training requirements in the Preventive Controls Rule, and certainly in the Produce Safety Rule, the requirement — or even mere suggestion — that someone take a course in order to be able to comply with the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) Rule is non-existent. Why then, has every FSVP training course I’ve taught been sold out?
Now that FSMA implementation has begun, there are several questions on what are the best approaches to develop risk-based food safety plans with preventive controls for compliance with these new regulations. Several terms have been clarified by FSMA, including the definition of a food facility. The actual definition of “hazard,” which is quite a technical definition, has also been expanded with these new regulations.
This case study shows how WW Johnson Meat implemented consistent, multilingual content and automated recordkeeping to overcome barriers of learning.
Buckhead Beef wanted to implement consistent safety practices across its operation. The company held weekly meetings with employees to discuss safety, but the meetings were not effective in building a culture of safety. This case study examines how interactive training, food industry educational courses, and automated recordkeeping and reporting helped Buckhead Beef improve its safety record and boost efficiency.
Bye-bye manual testing: Replaced by new on-line gas analyzer. This case study examines how a meat processing company made the switch from manually and randomly testing of its packages five times each day to an on-line headspace analyzer for its Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) products.
Shelf life studies are used to determine how long a product can reasonably be expected to maintain its quality, safety, and character. These studies take into account not only products’ functional qualities such as safety and effectiveness, but also cosmetic qualities such as color and texture that make them appealing to customers.
This article explains how Greencore Foods overcame the challenges of managing its waste water treatment during wash-downs of processing tanks and lines during clean-in-place procedures.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|