Recalls are bound to happen in the food industry. While no organization wants to be at the center of a major outbreak or Class I recall, all organizations throughout the food supply chain must be prepared for this reality. In 2018, we witnessed several high-profile recalls with nationwide impact. From raw foods to cereal snacks, the recalls of 2018 had a major impact on nearly all product categories. This is a major concern.
FoodLogiQ recently spoke with Dr. Darin Detwiler, Assistant Dean at Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies. His work at the university includes quality assurance supervision for all undergrad and graduate programs. He is also a Professor of Food Regulatory Policy, responsible for the development and instruction of courses related to food safety, global economics of food & agriculture, and food policy, for graduate students who work in the food industry. He additionally advises industry and government agencies, addressing food safety and authenticity issues in the U.S. and abroad.
At FoodLogiQ, we often get the question, “How can I be prepared and ready to respond when an outbreak or recall affects our organization?” Mock recalls are a great way to prepare for a live recall, because they allow your organization to practice, test and improve processes to ensure you are prepared for a live event.
FoodLogiQ Connect's Recall + Response solution empowers organizations to respond to food withdrawals and recalls with speed and accuracy. It also offers the ability to test recall effectiveness with unlimited mock recalls. The features and functionality utilized during a live recall are the exact features and functionality used when conducting mock recalls.
Did it seem like 2018 was the year of the food recall? If your business is food, it is time to prepare your food recall plan for 2019. Looking back at the data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls, market withdrawals & safety alerts for 2018 non-fiscal year (January - December), there were 548 cases of Class I recalls issued for products that could cause serious health problems or death. According to the FDA, there has been a steady rise in the number of food recalls since 2012.
The headlines in 2018 were filled with news of major food-related outbreaks and Class I recalls. Many industry professionals have said it's only a matter of time until every company is affected by a major outbreak, recall or withdrawal. Make sure your organization is prepared for recalls in 2019 with FoodLogiQ.
