Articles by Richard F. Stier, M.S.

Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness and promotes hygiene for prevention of foodborne illness.

Food defense is now an integral element in almost all third-party audit schemes, in particular ones from the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

After the Food Safety Modernization Act was passed, there was a great deal of angst and fear in the food industry about the impending implementation of hazard analysis, risk-based preventive controls.

A cleaning and sanitizing process has always been a key element for ensuring food safety and quality, but its importance has escalated over the years.

Food processors have a mandate to ensure that they have someone with a new title on board: the preventive controls qualified individual, or PCQI.

All food processors, no matter what they produce or where they are located, should develop, document, implement and maintain a program for traceability and recalls.

When it comes to pathogen testing, processors must choose from a number of processes, as well as whether the work will be done in-house or through a contract laboratory.

Parts of any food or beverage plant that need to have allergen management programs in place are the receiving, storage and warehousing areas.

According to FSMA, each processor must have a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). This person is responsible for developing the food safety program, ensuring the controls are validated, reviewing records and reassessing the plan.

In 1995, the seafood HACCP regulation was enacted in the US and marked a major milestone in the history of food safety.