FDA

Summer is here! What a perfect opportunity to get outside and enjoy the warm summer air we've all been craving! For some individuals, spending time outdoors could involve hiking,

Not only has COVID put a significant dent in our social lives, but it also has impacted many operations and practices throughout food processing facilities. Unfortunately, this

Ten years...that’s a long time, right?  But...not really.  The more I see 10th, 20th, or 25th-anniversary releases of favorite albums or movies, the more I feel like time is slipping away...and ten years seems more like a blink.   So, when you consider the dichotomy of the slow and all-too-quick hands of time, it’s impressive how much has been accomplished, and yet how far we have to go in food safety since the Food Safety Modernization Act was enacted in early 2011.

As much as it would be great to go with either a “yay” or “nay” as to whether it has been a success, like many pieces of major legislation, there have been both phenomenal strides as well as stagnation.  As food safety is a complex undertaking, involving waves of domestic and global political and trade relations, budgetary concerns, etc., the quality assurance of the Act itself can be a challenge at times.  As we’ll see though, overwhelmingly,

In our efforts to help our customers produce the best safe, quality food that they can, we like to occasionally share resources that may be of use. Below, you will find a link discussing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Training and Consultative Service program, (officially titled the Artisan Dairy Producer Foods Safety Initiative). In an effort to assist smaller businesses and producers, the Center for Dairy Research, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association have come together to provide guidance for small businesses to meet the demands of FSMA compliance. John Lucey, from the Center for Dairy Research discusses the Initiative further here:

https://www.dairyfoods.com/articles/93071-a-collaborative-effort-to-help-small-dairy-manufacturers-meet-safety-guidelines

In the demanding everyday life of a food manufacturer it can be hard to slow down and think about the safety of the products being manufactured. Everything from the ingredients that come in the door to the way the product is shipped out to the customer, all have to be monitored for safety. That is what the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is all about, making sure the ingredients, the process, and how the end product is shipped out reduces the level of risk to the consumer. The manufacturing facility has to ask, what can be done to prevent the various risks in the plant from happening and causing a recall?

A Food Safety Plan is a robust, detailed plan that is meant to anticipate and meet these challenges. A cohesive plan is based on food safety principles which include: hazard analysis, preventative controls, supply-chain programs, and a recall plan. For smaller businesses, putting a Food Safety Plan in place and maintaining that Plan can be daunting. Where do you start? Making