Audits/Certification/GFSI

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In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Natalie Dyenson, M.P.H., Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer for the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), about her role at IFPA, the Association’s key priorities for produce food safety, and its global advocacy work along the fresh produce supply chain.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is seeking applicants to participate in a Benchmarking and Harmonization Working Group focused on the development and effective implementation of GFSI Benchmarking Requirements.

The SQF Institute (SQFI) intends to gather industry input at the upcoming SQF Unites conference to inform the creation of a new SQF edition, and has shared its process and proposed timeline for developing SQF Edition 10.

GlobalG.A.P. is undergoing the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Benchmarking Process for two of its certification programs for produce and agriculture and has entered the stakeholder consultation phase, which is open until February 6, 2024.

FoodChain ID recently acquired Organic Certifiers Inc., one of the first certification bodies accredited in the U.S. for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is offering new resources—a QR code and graphic element—to communicate with stakeholders about two of its Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) programs: the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program (TPP) and the Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods Program (LAAF).

SQFI recently collaborated with McDonald’s Corporation and NSF International to develop an audit addendum for McDonald’s produce suppliers that are SQF-certified for plant production.

Whether or not a country’s food businesses have largely achieved certification against food safety standards is the second most important predictor of instances of foodborne illness, according to a recent study.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Dr. Barbara Masters—Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Food, and Agriculture at Tyson Foods Inc.—about food safety policy and leadership in the meat and poultry industry, informed by her 34 years of experience in the sector across veterinary, regulatory, advisory, and corporate roles.

In defending food safety procedures and practices to an inspector who is challenging them, it is best to have multiple sequential "rings of defense." This means that the easiest changes are suggested first, with more costly and difficult changes suggested later. Doing this strategically has the advantage of minimizing changes to the procedures and practices, and potentially avoiding a costly recall or market withdrawal.