Supply chain is critical to any food safety program. Having full control and traceability of raw materials and end products is no longer an option, but rather a requirement. In the past two years, the pandemic has exposed new weaknesses and made visible the business risks posed by an unstable supply chain.
In our last column, we revisited some of the testing-related topics we have covered since the inception of Food Safety Insights. This article looks at a few of the other subjects that have made an impact on our markets in these past 5 years.
Considerations for how ingredients will be sourced, inspected, segregated, and processed may impact the quality and safety of the finished product. It is important for food product developers to consult not only their procurement partners but also their food safety and quality partners to use ingredients from reliable and trustworthy suppliers from the beginning.
The Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative has worked to develop diverse strategic priorities, such as improving the regulatory approach, competency, and food safety culture in the regulatory community and enhancing the sharing of best practices among retail food protection partners.
More than a year after the start of the coronavirus pandemic forever changed our way of life and further strained our food system, we face greater challenges as a result of new vulnerabilities that have arisen.
As there is no single international regulation or threshold for gluten in gluten-free products, deciphering the numerous regulations in multiple regions can be challenging.