Food safety occupies a position of primacy which exceeds that of food availability. Provision of food for all people under the sun may be a priority for most governments and policy makers. Yet, ensuring that the food we consume meets safety standards is perhaps the greatest priority for the human race all over the world. What is the point of having food at all, if it is unsafe and unhygienic and unfit for human consumption or capable of causing disease? Doesn’t such food negate the idea of nourishment, which is the fundamental aim of food?
2. • Food safety occupies a position of primacy which exceeds that of food availability.
Provision of food for all people under the sun may be a priority for most
governments and policy makers. Yet, ensuring that the food we consume meets
safety standards is perhaps the greatest priority for the human race all over the
world. What is the point of having food at all, if it is unsafe and unhygienic and unfit
for human consumption or capable of causing disease? Doesn’t such food negate
the idea of nourishment, which is the fundamental aim of food?
• Governments and agencies around the world have been making persistent efforts
to ensure that the food we consume is safe and free from contamination. The food
safety standards and procedures that are in force today in the food industry are a
result of these efforts. The aim of these standards is to see to it that food goes
through scientifically valid processes and procedures in all its stages, from being
prepared to being consumed. The food chain is at the core of these processes,
because food safety has to be ensured at every step of the way.
Food Safety Compliance Program
3.
4. The importance of food safety regulations
• Food safety has always been of importance to mankind. However, the importance
of food safety regulations and compliance with them has grown of late, with the
different cultures and countries of the world becoming closer to each other than
ever before in the era of globalization. Food is no longer confined in its production
or consumption. What is produced in one part of the world gets consumed in
another, going through a number of routes along the logistics chain. Globalization
has broken the barriers of geography. All that it takes for an American to savor a
delicacy from Arabia is to visit the local grocery store or order it online.
5. Food safety compliance programs
• It is as a result of these developments that the need for putting in
place a globally acceptable set of food safety standards arose.
These food safety compliance programs are meant to be
implemented by players in the food industry. This set of standards
is enacted to ensure that there is a set of protocols and other
procedures and instruments to ensure that food goes through these
and thus retains the quality that it is intended to. As a result of
these food safety compliance programs; the taste and feel of the
food may not get affected, but consumers may rest assured that the
food that is subject to these food safety compliance programs is fit
for consumption safely.
6. How do organizations ensure that they are
compliant with food safety compliance
programs?
• Different standards apply for different kinds of organizations that are part of the
food chain. So, food organizations have to be very clear about the kind of
program or standard that they have to implement in order to meet the required
levels of food safety.
• NetZealous LLC, a reputable provider of professional trainings in the regulatory
compliance, human resources, healthcare and IT fields, is a valuable provider of
trainings for these aspects of food safety. With a panel of experts that have deep
experience of working in the food industry; NetZealous LLC offers those in the
food industry the opportunity to stay updated with the regulations and to thus
ensure that the food that they serve their consumers is safe and meet the
standards set out by the relevant food safety compliance programs.
7. Elements of food safety compliance
programs
• Food that is prepared in accordance with food safety compliance programs goes
through safety processes and standards. NetZealous LLC’s food safety
compliance programs are meticulously designed to provide insights to food
industry professionals on all the components of food safety compliance programs
such as:
8. Testing
• Testing is a very important aspect of food safety compliance
programs. Testing involves testing samples of food for the quality
and hygiene standards they are supposed to meet. This involves
making physical checks on food samples by trained and qualified
food inspectors from time to time at various points of the food
chain.
9. Audits
• Audits are a continuing exercise aimed at ensuring that the food
has met the stringent food safety regulation standards at every
stage. Audits are carried out to ensure that the food has gone
through the set Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other processes.
10. Quality training
• All personnel involved in the food chain have to be trained to
ensure that they are current with the latest regulations and are
aware of the ways and means of ensuring food quality. These
trainings are updated from time to time to make sure that personnel
are implementing the latest and most appropriate quality standards.
• Certification
• Certification is a very important part of food safety compliance
programs, because it attests to the adherence to quality standards
from those in the business of food. A number of bodies offer
certifications. A food facility may apply for certification based on the
kind of establishment it is.
11. The HACCP
• The most universally accepted standard for food safety is the
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system. This standard is
comprehensive and addresses food safety by analyzing the points
from which there could be hazards in the food chain, such as
biological, physical or chemical. The HACCP seeks to identify all
the sources of food contamination, such as raw materials, handling,
transportation, management and distribution. What makes the
HACCP different is that it sets standards for different kinds of
players in the food industry to implement in their facilities. It offers
complete training for the designated personnel.
12. All-round food safety compliance
programs
• All-round food safety compliance programs
• NetZealous LLC’s food safety compliance programs offer complete
guidance and advice on how organizations can build their food
safety compliance programs. These trainings help them stay
compliant with the regulations in their industry. It lets them
understand the import and meaning of these regulations and the
ways by which to apply them to obtain the highest standards in
food.
• NetZealous LLC’s food safety compliance programs bring the
experts right at the participant’s convenience through a number of
easy and convenient modes of teaching. Some of the topics on
which NetZealous LLC’s food safety compliance programs equip
participants with the knowledge needed for ensuring their safety
include:
13. • FSMA: The Food Safety Modernization Act is an FDA initiative that
stipulates ways by which food safety regulations are to be
implemented. The terms of the FSMA have armed the FDA with
wide-ranging powers to scrutinize food in all its forms and issues in
the private sector.
• EFSA: The European Food Safety Authority is the pan-European
Union (EU) body that has jurisdiction over the safety of food and
feeds. It collaborates with the individual food safety bodies of the
EU member states and offers solutions on how to ensure food
safety and identify and mitigate risks all along the food chain.
• GFSI: The Global Food Safety Initiative, which is a voluntary, food
industry led and supported program devised by global food safety
players to make sure that food is hygienic and safe. This program
brings all the stakeholders in the food industry, such as
manufacturers, retailers and those who provide food service.
• http://www.netzealous.com/