The majority of Codex members have backed guidance on the use of paperless certification in food trade.
The Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) recommended the next Codex Alimentarius Commission adopt draft guidance on paperless use of electronic certificates at its meeting in November.
Continue Reading Codex members support paperless trade guidance
The third in a series of four reports on synergies of official controls with food business operators’ internal protocols has been published.
It covers a fact finding mission to Belgium in Sept. 2017. Reports on Germany and the United Kingdom have already been released by the Directorate-General for Health and
Continue Reading EU agency looks at official and industry controls in Belgium
No one is immune from a food safety crisis and its ripple effects on consumers, stakeholders and hard-earned reputations. Maybe you’re fortunate and it’s been smooth sailing so far. But be prepared. A crisis – whether big or small – is in your future and earning trust is critical to
Continue Reading Before crisis strikes: Earn consumer trust through transparency
ST. LOUIS — The “wet” street slaughter of a pig in China, which occurs in the wee hours of the morning, is still expected to be warm when the customer arrives sometime before noon. Brazilians think allergens are a disease experienced only by North Americans. Fresh produce isn’t a concern
Continue Reading IAFP 2016 — Cultural bias could make it difficult to achieve FSMA parity
Dan Flynn’s June 6 article in Food Safety News, “Third-party auditor certification: Not the only tool in the toolkit,” makes the case that the Food and Drug Administration should not overly rely on third-party audits to oversee the safety of imported foods under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Continue Reading Comprehensive verification toolkit is needed domestically, too
Water is an essential component of many types of food products. Processors, manufacturers, and packers use water to clean, cool and even transport foods during production (in flumes for example). Water is, of course, also used to make ice and beverages of many types. 
Cantaloupe are
Continue Reading Recent events highlight need for safe water for food production
As the result of numerous national and international outbreaks of foodborne illness, food industries worldwide have come under increasing pressure to ensure that their products are safe, wholesome and meet government standards. FDA and USDA have the primary authority for our food supply nationally, while individual states typically regulate local
Continue Reading Process and Substance in Third-Party Food Safety Audits
It has been almost three long years since dusty Holly, Colorado, became the epicenter of a Listeria monocytogenes human tragedy. Many are painfully aware that litigation has been ongoing since the fall of 2011. The litigation stems from one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history. At least
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: Three Years Since People Died From Cantaloupe
About 15 percent of all foods we consume are imported. Looking at some particular categories, the numbers are far more striking: imports make up 91 percent of our seafood, 60 percent of our fruits and vegetables, and 61 percent of our honey. Most of these imports come from developing countries
Continue Reading Three Food Safety Rules Grow Moldy at OIRA as Import-Related Outbreaks Continue
Kosher food is big business. There are more than ten thousand kosher-producing companies in the United States alone, making more than 135,000 kosher products for over twelve million American consumers who purchase kosher food because it is kosher. Only 8 percent of kosher consumers, however, are religious Jews. Most kosher
Continue Reading Kosher Certification: A Model for Improving Private Food Safety Audits
