As 2015 comes to a close, here's a look back at FoodLogiQ's top 5, most viewed blog posts from this year. Whether it was DNA testing on hot dogs or compliance with the new Food Safety Modernization Act rulings, here they are in case you missed them...
For many food companies, the Food Safety Modernization Act rulings finalized this year will take full effect in 2016. The first FSMA deadline is in September 2016, when large companies with 500 or more full-time employees must comply with the preventive controls ruling for human food. Small companies with fewer than 500 employees will have until September 2017, and very small businesses with less than $1 million in average annual sales until September 2018.
Fresh produce items like cilantro, cucumbers, cantaloupes, and peppers that are often eaten raw cause more foodborne illness than any other single category of food, according to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The nonprofit food safety group reviewed 10 years of outbreak data to determine which foods are most often linked to outbreaks of foodborne disease and identify trends in illnesses. Over the period studied, fresh produce caused 629 outbreaks and almost 20,000 illnesses.
Across the entire food industry, food safety and supply chain professionals are diving into the details of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the most sweeping food safety legislation to hit the industry in the last 70 years. Companies will take the next several months to get their FSMA plans set and continue getting ready for the pending compliance deadline. As you get FSMA ready, here are three key must-know facts to getting on the road to FSMA readiness.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published three more final rules as part of implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). These new rules affect international and domestic produce growers, address import safety and outline guidance for food companies importing from foreign suppliers as well as outline a plan for establishing a comprehensive and reliable program for third‐party audits and certification of foreign food facilities. Here's a breakdown of each new rule with just a couple of the highlights:
