Life is Full of Options...Complying with Food Safety is Not One of Them!
Food safety has become a significant concern in America, Europe, Japan and China; where regulators are focusing on the examination of conditions that influence microbiological growth by encouraging it or inhibiting it. Their actions have propagated development and expansion of the fields of Food Science and Food Process Engineering, as well as considerable emerging technology associated with them. Many of us will likely be required to become certified sometime in the next few years, whether we are putting a label on a can of raisins, or manufacturing a printed bag of Cheetos. This certification involves changing habits that may promote contamination of product that will ultimately be in proximity to, or in contact with, food products. Our speakers are experts in this field and are extremely familiar with what printers/converters must change to become compliant with these food safety regulations.
Session Chairs: Bruce Riddell, Spectrum Label Corporation and Daniel P. Doherty, Prairie State Group
A Window Into Food Safety
Today’s consumers are more educated about the food they’re providing their families and more than ever, they’re taking charge and demanding safer, healthier food. They expect more from their retailers and foodservice providers, who in turn, expect more of their suppliers. Because of this heightened demand for food safety assurance, suppliers are being asked to provide verifiable proof that robust food safety control systems have been effectively implemented and validated. This presentation offers a thorough understanding of food safety and certifications, such as the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which are fast becoming a must for the modern food contact packager. You’ll learn about the tools, resources and relationships that can help you manage your food safety initiatives specifically:
- Why customers are asking for certification
- How to comply with regulations/restrictions
- Where you can achieve a substantial ROI
Peter Cicero, Capjem
What Certification Entails & Why
Food companies are being required to obtain certification from one of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-approved food safety standards. The process involved is not just a quality assurance (QA) program, but also a commitment that involves the entire company. The process is challenging, but it can be accomplished through a team effort and support from management. By attending this presentation you’ll:
- Understand the steps to achieve certification and stay certified
- Come away with a clear step-by-step process to achieving certification
- Identify the pitfalls that you’ll need to avoid
Jack Hamilton, EAGLE Food Registrations
An Executive Perspective
Food Safety is constantly in the news and interpreting the ever-increasing demands being placed on food producers, food packers and retail stores (and some Lemonade stands) can be a daunting task. The need for compliance and assurance that Food Safety is understood by the entire food packaging supply chain is becoming more prevalent. As a second or third tier supplier into the food markets, printers/converters are being asked to ensure a strong understanding of food safety throughout their organizations. We need to show that our internal processes, policies and procedures will help ensure the reliability of the food products our customers and clients manufacture and distribute. We are being asked to follow many of the same guidelines and auditing processes that have been part of our GMP’s but have been raised to a higher standard with even more diligent requirements. As we all move down the road to a better understanding of what these increasing demands entail, it is important to know what the burden on our organizations financial and human resources could be. We need to educate ourselves on what path we need to follow and what are the future expectations. I hope to give you a glimpse inside our journey and the decisions we had to make and how we expect it to affect our business in the future. Daniel P. Doherty, Prairie State Group
Real World Food Safety
It goes a little something like this...a customer calls you up and asks for your SQF Certification number. SQF? You have no idea what he/she is talking about. Then another client calls, and another, declaring they might not be able to do business with you any more, if you are not in compliance. Suddenly you are frantically trying to figure out what this SQF business is all about, and what you need to do to comply. Once you figure out that SQF stands for Safe Quality Foods, you are left with the daunting task of implementing it at your facility. And, as luck would have it, YOU have been bestowed the title of SQF Practitioner. Cayleigh Nichols, Prairie State Group
SQF Implementation: A Flavor Manufacturer’s Perspective
If you would like to understand how supply chain quality and SQF has impacted a global flavor manufacturer, this presentation will provide you with the following insights:
- Benefits from a manufacturer’s perspective for those considering SQF certification.
- How SQF meets and exceeds increasing customer demands for food safety certification.
- Rewards of SQF include decreasing the number and increasing speed of customer audits.
- How a manufacturer views food contact packaging from a food safety standpoint.
Stephanie R. Donato, Bell Flavors and Fragrances
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