Food companies that prepare fresh food items often source individual ingredients from primary suppliers. The food safety risk is typically controlled at primary supplier plants or farms; however, the food safety stakes are high. In response to this higher risk, FDA included requirements for supplier food safety management in the Food Safety Modernization Act. While the Preventive Controls Rule applies to FDA-regulated ingredients, the principles and importance of effective supplier food safety management programs cuts across all food, regardless of who regulates it and who sells it. It is necessary to have "boots on the ground" to assess how food safety and quality programs are integrated with the front-line operation for those suppliers who mitigate food safety risk on the behalf of a receiving company.

A recent study evaluated and compared the level of conformity with food safety requirements in cattle and pig slaughterhouses, for which large-scale and beef facilities scored better, on average.

It could be months before shoppers notice the impact of coronavirus on store shelves, but there’s a lot manufacturers and suppliers can do to mitigate any impact.