Sanitation Topic Rss

Clean Up Your Act

2011-09-21T15:31:00Z

With news of foodborne outbreaks surfacing practically every week, frantic searches for the culprits often boil down to one issue: cleanliness.

Chlorine Clean

2011-09-21T15:25:00Z

Food processing has existed for centuries, but in the 19th and 20th centuries, largely due to military supply demands, more modern food processing technologies were developed. As food processing needs have grown, so have problems with food contamination and foodborne illness.

Multiply Your Meat and Poultry Attack

2011-09-21T15:13:00Z

Intervention strategies have been on a rapid development track during the past decade, with a number of companies not only adopting the strategies in their processing plants but, in many cases, making them integral components of their hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) plans.

CIP Spells Savings

2011-07-15T22:33:00Z

Clean-in-place and sterilize-in-place (CIP/SIP) systems are essential to safe, efficient food production. Between different product runs and on a regular basis, product handling, processing, conveying, and packaging equipment components undergo crucial washdowns to eliminate contaminants. And regularly well-cleaned equipment also tends to enjoy extended operation life, providing an important cost benefit to food and beverage companies.

California Requires New Certification for Food Handlers

2011-03-22T16:00:00Z

Effective July 1, California will require all employees who handle food in restaurants to earn a California Food Handlers Card. This legislation, modeled on successful programs in other states, will affect more than 1.4 million food industry jobs.

Start a Food Safety Management System

2010-12-30T17:20:00Z

Businesses from all links in the food chain are increasingly challenged to implement a structured food safety management system (FSMS) that is incorporated into the overall management activities of the organization. This challenge comes from the requirement to comply with a growing number of regulations, as well as pressure from customers and the ethical obligation to protect consumers from illness and injury by providing safe food.

Sustainability Certifications for Food Manufacturers

2010-09-10T00:26:00Z

As sustainability gains momentum throughout the food industry, we’re seeing the increasingly popular use of ecolabels and certifications like organic, Marine Stewardship Council, and Pesticide Residue Free by primary producers. Third party certifications provide a valuable and credible way for these businesses to tell potential customers about their sustainability efforts. While most current certifications focus on primary producers, third party verification can also play a valuable role in advancing food manufacturers’ sustainability efforts.

Pest Control: Past and Present

2010-09-10T00:07:00Z

In today’s climate of heightened food safety scrutiny, it is hard to believe that not so long ago, attitudes about what constituted a hygienic processing environment were very different. This is especially true for pest management practices. Only a little more than 70 years have passed since Congress enacted the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 (FD&C Act), and a little more than 100 years ago, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle opened America’s eyes to what was happening in meat packing plants.

Controlling Pests Requires Staff Participation

2010-08-15T21:46:00Z

In any food processing plant, a pest management program is only as strong as the employees who implement it. To ensure a successful pest management program, the staff should be given training about prevention of pest problems before they occur. Not only does this serve as a low-cost training opportunity in a stressed economy, but it also can save money long-term by preventing pest problems that would require costly remediation.

Outsourcing Sanitation a Smart Alternative

2010-08-15T21:28:00Z

After a string of high-profile nationwide foodborne illness outbreaks in 2009, food safety reform is a high priority for legislators and consumers alike. Big changes are on the horizon to overhaul the federal agencies that ensure that consumers are protected against the bacteria and disease that contaminate food and threaten overall security.