Food safety compliance should be easy but sometimes we just need a little help. In this article, I share with you my top 5 food business food safety compliance tools. I hope that you find them useful (or at least it saves you having to hunt them down).
1. SQF Guidance Tool
The purpose of a certification audit is to assess the compliance of your food business against a particular set of ‘rules’ or requirements. SQF have made this process just that little bit easier by putting together guidance documents on how to comply with and what the audit expectations are for Module 2 and Module 11 of SQF Code Edition 7.2. This new edition comes into force from the 3rd of July 2014 so get audit ready and check out these useful documents.
Module 2 – SQF Code 7.2 Guidance Document
Module 11 – SQF Code 7.2 Guidance Document
2. Know your food safety legislation
The basis of all the GFSI recognised standards is to comply with all legal requirements applicable to your business, your industry and your country of manufacture. Additionally, if your food business exports, you need to also be aware of that countries food safety rules as well. With the level of accessibility available now days, you can access electronic versions of the majority of legislation.
I have recently cancelled my paid subscription to food safety legislation updates after paying for a ‘paper’ service for the past 14 years. I have now gone electronic and saved myself hundreds of dollars a year. Links to most common food legislation is listed below. For any that I have not listed, please share the food safety legislation link of your country in the comment section below this article.
- Australia – Food Standards Australia
- Canada – Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- United Kingdom – Food Standards Agency
- India – Food Safety Standards and Authority of India
- China – China Food and Drug Administration
- USA – FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
Here is also great video explaining the new FDA laws. It is a good tool to use to educate your staff located in the USA.
3. Expand you mind
If you are ready to expand your mind outside of your own backyard, take a look at the website for the ‘Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’. There is lots of great articles around what is happening world-wide in food production and security.
4. Free Food Defense Training for Food Handlers
‘ALERT Food Defense Awareness’ is a great basic training module that you can deliver to your food handlers. Developed and hosted by the USFDA, it is video based training which is available in both English and Spanish.
5. HACCP Mentor
I could not go past including HACCP Mentor in this list. The information on the website aims to give food industry professionals direction and advisory on food safety and HACCP compliance issues. I have been amazed with the support and feedback from all around the world and wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank-you! I am also very grateful that I have the opportunity to share my 20+ years of experience and knowledge through this website. In the coming months I will have more tools and resources available to help your food business with the ultimate goal of producing safe food and compliance with HACCP food safety requirements.
