Tag Archives: GFSI

Training in the Food Safety Industry

By Sangita Viswanathan
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Dr. John Surak food safety trainer and Warren Hojnaki of SGS talk about trends they see in food safety training, areas of focus, how to keep training relevant and useful, and what they are expecting to see in the future.

FDA, FSMA, FSMS, HACCP, GFSI, BRC, SQF, IFS, FSSC… The food safety sector is a cornucopia of new regulations, abbreviations and standards. Helping navigate this maze are food safety training courses and the instructors. However, the success of training programs depends on how applicable these courses and the curriculum are to the industry and the specific client, and how experienced and knowledgeable the instructor is in understanding current regulations, specifications of standards, hazard profiles and compliance requirements of that client. 

In an interview with FoodSafetyTech.com, Dr. John Surak, food safety trainer, and Warren Hojnaki of SGS, talk about trends they see in food safety training, areas of focus, how to keep training relevant and useful, and what they are expecting to see in the future.

John Surak, Ph.D., is principal of Surak and Associates, a full service food safety and quality consulting service. He works with the food processing industry in developing food safety and quality management systems, designing and implementing process control systems, and implementing Six Sigma and business analytics systems. Warren Hojnacki is Training Manager, for SGS North America. His department delivers training services for North American clients. 

FoodSafetyTech.com: What are some broad trends in food safety training that you are noticing?
Hojnacki: What we are seeing is a lot of clients needing foundational training. For instance, our most popular training programs are still HACCP, implementation for FSSC 22000, SQF etc. On the other side, clients are still very confused about what they should do regarding new and proposed food safety regulations. While they are following the directives that they receive from their customers, currently there still is a wait-and-see mentality. 

Dr. Surak: I notice the focus on food safety moving up the food chain. About 5 to 7 years ago, our primary clients for food safety training programs were food processing companies. Now our clients are suppliers to these companies as food companies are pushing the requirement for training on them. These supplier companies then need to make decisions on what schemes they want to be certified under. Most of the time, the customer accepts any GFSI-recognized scheme, but sometimes the customer names a specific scheme. Different GFSI schemes have different sweet spots and advantages. They all assume different knowledge about food safety and some are more prescriptive than the others. Clients have to figure out which scheme would be the best fit for them. 

FST: What kind of training courses are most popular, most asked for?
Hojnacki: When clients and companies decide on getting audited or certified against a particular food safety standard, training for that standard is a common requirement. Auditors specifically want to be trained to build their skill level, whether it’s getting trained for HACCP or FSSC 22000. A number of our clients also come to us saying that when they have a 3rd party audit, the most common non-conformances pertain to a less than robust internal audit system, so auditor training is a critical area that our clients ask for. 

Dr Surak: One of the biggest aspects of training that I try to focus on is lead auditor training. This course is designed to help an individual get certified in a particular audit scheme. We cover the same information for internal auditor training. However, the difference in this case is that for the internal auditor, the goal is to get his company certified. If a company has a strong internal auditor, they can reap substantial benefits. We also focus on, as part of our training, doing mock audits. This is more than going into a course or workshop and giving a lecture. For mock audits, you are put into a spot where you have to make real decisions on the floor. When we conduct such practice audits with our clients, in addition to our regular food safety training courses, we find a high level of involvement and interaction from the attendees and appreciation from the client. 

FST: What are some of the gaps in the training that you notice?
Hojnacki: What we see in general is people not covering the topic in-depth enough. Many training courses (outside those offered by SGS) seem to cover the topic in a very superficial manner and this doesn’t help. 

Dr. Surak: Many of the attendees who come to an audit training class have never taken the time to familiarize themselves with the standard. So what you are doing in that time is teaching them the standard and then teaching them how to audit. If the participants already know the standard, then you focus on just reviewing the standard and cover how to go about doing the audit. 

FST: What are some common questions attendees ask at ‘implementation/auditor’ training?
Hojnacki: Attendees very much want to know application to their respective situation. As an auditor, you need to know the right open-ended questions to ask when you are conducting an internal audit, and in our training, we provide examples for that. 

Dr. Surak: Our training focuses on enabling auditors to get the participant in a conversation and be able to answer questions during an audit. We are not in the business of writing traffic tickets, we are out to assess if the food safety system meets the standard, and also to identify the areas where it needs to be strengthened. Things that participants typically want to know are, going into a 3rd party audit, what is the auditor going to do? How is he going to react? And how can they present themselves in the best possible way to have a good audit? Also the instructor or auditor needs to understand the differences in the standards and the different hazards. There are unique challenges for different suppliers – or where along the supply chain they are, for instance are they a retailer, a supplier or a processor. It’s not a one size fits all situation. If you are looking at ingredient suppliers, the hazards are very different than what a retailer would be looking at, for instance. 

FST: How do you identify the best training company or program for you?
Hojnacki: We go through this everyday with every client call and we understand that we are not the only resource, our clients have several options. We first evaluate the trainer to understand what’s their educational and work experience background? Does it correlate to the industry you are in? Are they practitioners or just theorists? Food industry is a very big growth area right now, and we are seeing a proliferation of tutors coming into this field. Some of them have varied backgrounds, such as in automobile or aerospace industry. Often times, clients will make a decision based on prices quoted, and then realize that it didn’t work out the way they had anticipated. We (SGS) have often had to go to that client and redo things. Today, more than ever, the decision to choose a trainer/ training vendor, needs to be based on their competence, experience, and skills. 

Dr. Surak: I was recently at a client where they had completed certification training. When I asked to see the materials and bios of the instructor, I noticed that he had no prior experience in the food industry. I wondered how you could teach internal auditing in a food processing industry if you did not know about food processing! It’s imperative that clients look at the trainer’s background and experience. 

FST: Food safety training in 2015 – what will change?
Hojnacki: Food safety training curriculum will have to increasingly show greater applicability to clients to meet their needs. It has to be a round peg and in a round hole type of situation. Especially with FSMA rules getting finalized, clients are going to expect more out of their training. They are going to expect their instructors to be a resource, and to be up to date on the respective regulations and be able to tell clients how these rules will apply to them, and what they need to do differently. 

Dr. Surak: Processors are going to ask questions such as ‘I am certified to a GFSI scheme, so now do I have to do anything additional to meet new requirements’ or ‘are there areas where we have done some basic groundwork, and we have to raise the bar higher because of new regulations,’ and trainers need to be able to answer these.

Top 10 GFSI Non-conformances, and How to Avoid Them

By Michael Biros
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Are you ready for audit? Gary Smith, Director of training and improvement solutions at SAI Global, talks about the top 10 GFSI non-conformances for SQF & BRC audits.

1. Business Continuity Plan Components/Annual Testing and Review

Many companies do not know what a business continuity plan is. It is not a recall and performing a mock recall will not count as an annual test and review. It is the continuing of business with a disruption in the supply chain. What are your plans for a key supplier going out of business or being affected by a natural disaster? If there is a fire or accident at one of your facilities, how are you going to ensure that your customers will still get delivery of your product? 

2. Food Safety Plan

HACCP has been around for years, but this is still a major area of focus. HACCP must be implemented and individuals must be properly trained in HACCP. All Critical Control Points (CCPs) must be validated. Review supporting documents during annual check. Is the flow chart current? Is the hazard analysis still correct? Question your employees during your internal audit. Get your employees used to and comfortable with answering questions about the food safety plan. 

3. Equipment and Utensil Condition

Utensils (scoops, shovels, belts, etc), equipment, and all food contact surfaces must be designed and in good condition so as not to be a food safety risk. Implement a foreign material control plan. Have a preventative maintenance schedule. Focus the internal audit program on equipment, not just employees. Use a flashlight when conducting internal audits. Train, empower, and reward production employees to identify equipment defects. Do not have temporary repairs. 

4. Allergen Management

Allergens are the number one cause of recalls. You must have a good allergen control program and this program must be validated. Identify ingredients as allergens at receiving and have a label inspection program. Specific allergen proteins must be validated with surface testing and product testing. Allergens must be listed as hazards in hazard analysis with the control as the allergen management program. 

5. Internal Audit

Have a strong internal audit program that emphasizes proactive solutions to avoid non-conformances. Manage non-conformances with a corrective action program. Take photos of all findings during internal audits. Make the process as formal as possible. Dress like the auditor would and ask employees questions. 

6. Condition of Walls, Doors, Floors, and Ceilings

Tape, cardboard, and construction plastic sheeting must not be used as these surfaces cannot be cleaned. Doors and windows must be properly closed. 

7. Product Traceability and Mock Recalls

If an auditor asks you about a product, you must be able to list all the raw materials, where they came from, and how they were processed to create your product. Keep the recall team current. Have procedures for a mock recall and always perform it. Make the mock recall a real test. Include ingredients and packaging in all traceability programs. Perform product trace exercises during the internal audit. 

8. Records

Make sure that your records are legible, authorized, and that demonstrated activities are taken. 

9. Procedures for Product Disposition when Calibration is Out

This is a new standard. Companies are now required to have documented procedures in place for when calibration equipment is down. 

10. Stay Vigilant!

If you’ve achieved food safety certification, congratulations! However maintaining certification takes commitment and dedication. Be sure to maintain a strong food safety culture within your organization. Communicate well across all levels of the company. Have a strong internal audit program and don’t be afraid to identify issues and focus on corrective action management.

Sangita Viswanathan, Former Editor-in-Chief, FoodSafetyTech

How a Global Snack Powerhouse Follows Supply Chain Best Practices

By Sangita Viswanathan
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Sangita Viswanathan, Former Editor-in-Chief, FoodSafetyTech

Mondelez-International-Brands-March2014
Known for its global brands such as Oreo, Ritz, Cadbury, Toblerone, Trident and Tang, Mondelēz International is a global snacks powerhouse, with products marketed in 165 countries. 

The company, which was created in October 2012 with spin-off of Kraft Foods Group, earned net revenues of $35 billion in 2012, and is the No. 1 in biscuits, chocolate, candy and powdered beverages; and No. 2 in gum and coffee. Mondelēz also employs approximately 110,000 people and works with nearly 3000 raw material suppliers. 

Against this background, the primary goal for the company is to provide Food that is Safe to Eat, described Peter Begg, Sr. Director, Global Quality Programs, Mondelēz International. 

Talking about Global Supply Chain Best practices at the recent Global Food Safety Conference, Begg described that his company ensures that its consumers and customers can trust the products that they manufacture and provide by: 

  1. “Having a comprehensive Food Safety program that meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and ensures global consistency; 
  2. Benchmarking annually to ensure the robustness of our food safety program including 3rd party audits (GFSI);  
  3. Continuously evolving our global strategies on Food Safety, with goals to drive further progress; and 
  4. Leveraging Supply Chain initiatives to support the Food Safety program.” 

At Mondelēz, food safety management occurs at multiple levels, said Begg: “The International Board of Directors Level reviews food safety management; the Executive Team level assesses company risk profile and management programs; food safety and quality senior management establishes food safety policy, control programs, and compliance mechanisms; business units implement company food safety policies and programs, and ensure regulatory compliance; and the Special Situations management team assesses and proactively manages issues, issues prevention, and communication of lessons learned.” 

Begg stressed that “companies need to make food safety culture personal, so people don’t bypass it. Mondelēz has had 0 incidents, 0 defects and 0 losses – and this will not be possible without 100 percent employee involvement.” 

He described an Integrated Quality Management Approach that focuses on systems across key factors in the supply chain: “Risk categories (covering chemical, microbiology and physical risks) are addressed along several steps (Design, Procure, Covert, Distribute, Trade and Consumer) using various quality risk prevention programs such as design safety analysis; HACCP; allergen management; supplier QA; material monitoring; continuous improvement; traceability, complaint management, process capability/ Six Sigma; warehouse controls and labeling.” 

Begg described Mondelēz’ quality and food safety programs that help assess, manage, and mitigate risk: 

Risk Assessment:

  • Supplier approval and management: determines suppliers risk profile and ability to meet MDLZ standards before use and on an ongoing basis;
  • Design Safety Analysis: new/changed product concepts are evaluated to design out potential physical hazards;
  • Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) – focused on prevention, identifies conversion risks, controls, and monitoring compliance; and
  • Third Party Validation – validation of key systems; Design, HACCP, Micro, Allergen, Supplier, Auditing. 

Risk Management:

  • Auditing – risk based approach to assesses compliance to policy and execution of programs leading to corrective/ preventive actions;
  • Material Monitoring – incoming material testing program to verify the effectiveness of preventative programs;
  • Training – drives awareness of policies, programs, roles & responsibilities and enhances organizational competency;
  • Traceability – programs to manage and trace materials thru finished goods; 
  • Spec Management – specification development and change management process for materials, processes, and finished goods; and
  • Contingency Planning for single/ sole source and regionally isolated ingredients. 

Risk Mitigation:

  • Special Situations Management – defined company-wide process for proactive and effective management of issues minimizing potential impact to the business. 

Mondelēz has made a strong commitment to the Global Food Safety Initiative. According to Begg, the company has asked its nearly 3000 raw material suppliers globally to get certified under a GFSI benchmarked standard by 2015. All internal manufacturing facilities will have a GFSI certification (FSSC 22000) by the end of 2015 as well (currently 80 percent of facilities are certified). The company is also promoting GFSI to its external partners including joint ventures and external manufacturers.