In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Rhodes Yepsen, Executive Director of the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), about developments in California packaging policy and their potential implications for food processors and packaging manufacturers. Rhodes also discusses the role of compostable packaging in food waste reduction and the tradeoffs manufacturers must consider when balancing sustainability goals with food safety, product protection, and shelf-life requirements.

Rather than revisiting why audits and traditional compliance training fall short, this article focuses on what actually improves food safety outcomes: how quality assurance professionals and frontline leaders can build better decision-making capabilities across the food supply chain.

FDA recently proposed the most significant changes to its GRAS framework since 1958. For companies managing ingredient compliance, the proposed mandatory filing obligations raise questions about statutory authority, agency capacity, and whether its design matches its stated objectives.

Many organizations continue to approach food safety primarily as a compliance exercise rather than as an embedded part of everyday operations. This article considers an approach where HACCP is treated as an active and evolving management system rather than an annual event.