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The food safety management program in a foodservice business should be periodically benchmarked against the most current regulatory requirements and best-in-class food safety standards to determine if gaps exist in the program. The gap analysis should be performed by a third party to ensure an unbiased benchmark, and include a review of the corporate governance, systems/specifications, training/education, supply chain management, foodservice operations, and facilities design. The food safety management team should coordinate and review all deficiencies with an action plan prioritized to the level of risk identified.

This article will lend context to ensuring that the right food safety behaviors and practices are properly transferred from "those who know" to "those who need to know." The suggestions and tenets shared in this article are founded on proven scientific principles and actions, and on instincts honed by long-term experience in the food business. The authors will share best practices to increase an organization's effectiveness at planning for, and executing, the transfer of experience and skills from one generation to the next.

This article examines and unpacks the evolving demands for traceability across various dimensions, such as supply chain visibility, transparency, trust, and sustainability. It investigates the growing importance of services related to the traceability of food production, harvesting, processing, and distribution, as well as verifiable credentials for product and process claims.

With security threats against the sector increasing and cyber threats against the global supply system also on the rise, it is imperative that a food and agriculture ISAC be formed. It does not have to be fully capable at the start; just a few large companies that agree to pool and analyze threat information can plant the initial seed. If successful awareness and deterrence can be demonstrated, then other companies will join. At full capability, the ISAC can serve as a watch and warning center for the sector, providing timely threat analysis for members at all levels. In this article, the authors look at what it takes to create and run a successful ISAC.

Amid the pandemic in 2020, federal and state recall coordinators and their leadership teams took a closer look at the existing regulatory recall response efforts in the state of Georgia, and where collaboration exists between the two agencies. After creating a pilot template project in 2021, the recall shadowing concept was expanded to a larger network. Feedback from 12 additional agencies in 2022 strengthened the project to enhance partner integration efforts, with the ultimate goal to better protect public health during recall events.

A survey was sent to food industry trade association members representing food companies to determine what is known about food safety culture, food safety management systems, and active managerial control. The survey also asked about the implementation of such practices in support of a culture of food safety. The survey results indicate that many companies are well aware of these food safety concepts; however, many respondents are unsure whether their company is operating with true active managerial control. Opportunities were uncovered to inform and encourage engagement in active managerial control to a greater degree.

Advocacy group Consumer Reports (CR) has compiled a list of the ten most high-risk foods, based on recall and foodborne illness outbreak data collected from federal food regulatory agencies.

The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness and FDA are co-hosting a highly anticipated food safety culture webinar live from the Food Safety Summit on Thursday, May 11. During the live session, academic, regulatory, and industry professionals will discuss how they assess food safety culture and its impact. 

Approximately 46 percent of honey imported to the EU is adulterated, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These findings are the result of an EU-coordinated action, titled, “From the Hives.”

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we talk with Keya Mukherjee, Ph.D., Food Safety Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Vittorio Fattori, Ph.D., Food Safety Officer at FAO, about the most pressing food safety issues the world is facing at present and will face in the near future. We also discuss how industry can mitigate some of these growing risks while the international community works to address the root causes of climate change and other challenges.