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The dry bulb onion industry, led by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and the National Onion Association (NOA), has released an updated food safety best practices document for industry and plans to hold a webinar to discuss the document and future initiatives.

Panelists Christian Blyth (Pathogen Specialist, 3M Canada), Marie Tanner (Senior Vice President of Quality, Dairy Farmers of America), and Lone Jespersen, Ph.D. (Cultivate SA) discuss three features that are prominent in North America's food safety culture: diversity of thought, proactive risk-based approach, and high adaptability. 

To lead from the local level for food safety, top executives must empower and authorize leaders to solve issues like food safety culture. The technical food safety team is best situated for this task. To build a sustainable food safety culture, it is essential to start with shifting and building the mindset of the technical leadership and honoring the well-being of this team. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic (hopefully) solidly in the rearview mirror, we wanted to find out what projects and initiatives food companies are focusing on for the rest of this year and into 2023. We heard from more than 200 food processors in every major category. They reported a wide-ranging wish list of projects and priorities, with improving their food safety culture, more training, improving their supply chain management (especially with their foreign suppliers), and improving their sanitation and environmental monitoring programs at the top of the list.

A risk-based approach is rapidly being incorporated into food safety systems. This can be attributed to the efforts of regulatory agencies and non-governmental organizations to develop requirements for food businesses. This article examines these food safety systems from a systematic, risk-based approach to allow the food safety practitioner to develop and improve food safety.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we interview Gillian Kelleher, President, and CEO of Kelleher Consultants LLC and the Chairperson of the Educational Advisory Board (EAB) for the 2023 Food Safety Summit. Gillian speaks about the importance of organizational food safety and quality (FSQ) programs, as well as how FSQ professionals and food businesses can drive positive improvement.  

Data analysis from more than 3,000 food manufacturing facilities reveals specific actions and characteristics that enable companies to have stronger food safety outcomes.

This article explores the food safety challenges of the labor-heavy catering sector, including the pervasive lack of food safety culture and management commitment; the need for creative solutions in process monitoring for large facilities; how to build an effective training program for a catering facility; and how to handle customer complaints, including the importance of root cause analysis.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we interview Tia Glave and Jill Stuber, seasoned food safety and quality (FSQ) consultants and the founders of Catalyst LLC., about the realities of coaching a food company through its food safety culture journey. We also discuss the ways in which FSQ leaders can drive positive change in their organizations’ food safety cultures and why the FSQ leader plays an integral role in accomplishing this goal.

Even with the right prep work, operations with the best sanitation, pest control, preventive maintenance, manufacturing practices, and food defense can experience a recall. This article establishes the background on recalls in the U.S. and offers a look at the behind-the-scenes activity of a food safety recall, including best practices, necessary steps, and tips for communication. It also explores an often-misunderstood resource that can minimize the negative impact and expense of a recall—your recall insurance policy.