[AIB A Call to Action] The Industry Responds

The food industry has answered its own call to action. For years, there has been growing concern about food safety issues that are traced back to packaging materials. Numerous mislabeling errors that have taken place in the past few years raised concerns with the current system. The industry has recognized its own call to action. A working group made up of food manufacturers, packaging suppliers and trade associations has been meeting for the past year to minimize the occurrence of mixed labels and packages and other potential packaging issues.

The working group began with representatives from five food-manufacturing companies who recognized the need to work with their packaging suppliers’ to develop programs that would minimize the errors that were occurring in their food processing plants.

Manufacturing facilities understand they aren’t perfect either. They need a way to learn from their packaging suppliers about how to improve their practices to reduce or minimize incidents on their end. Along the way, this group of five invited packaging suppliers and trade associations to participate and offer feedback and suggestions. In the past year, the group has grown to 49 participants representing 25 companies or groups. There are 12 food companies (28 representatives), 4 packaging companies (5 representatives), and 9 trade groups (16 representatives) currently involved. Working group participants include:

FOOD MANUFACTURERS: Brach’s, Campbell’s Soup, ConAgra, General Mills, H.P. Hood, Kellogg’s, Kraft Foods, Master Foods, McCain, Nestle, Sara Lee and Unilever

PACKAGING SUPPLIERS: Alcan, Altivity, Berry Plastics and Sonoco

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS: AIB International, Composite Can and Tube Institute, Flexible Packaging Association, Food Service and Packaging Institute, Glass Packaging Institute, Label Packaging Industries of America, Packaging Association of Canada, Packaging Paperboard Council and Tag and Label Manufacturers Association

This working group has identified several main goals:

• To move the packaging industry to a HACCP-based approach that involves a risk assessment tailored to its needs. HACCP programs already are required of ingredient suppliers; now the group is encouraging packaging suppliers to do the same.
• To educate packaging suppliers about food safety concerns by providing awareness.
• To make sure packaging suppliers have systems, procedures and up-to-date equipment in place to eliminate hazards and minimize the occurrence of mixed labels reaching consumers.

MAKING STRIDES. So far, they have received a favorable response from the manufacturing and packaging parties involved. At the beginning, some suppliers were hesitant because they thought that HACCP is for food manufacturers. But, packaging material is part of the food industry and HACCP is the best tool for producing risk-based results. Once the manufacturers explained the implications of mixed labels and other packaging issues, the suppliers understood the severity and wanted to cooperate. Now, all sides are enthusiastic about making changes.

Before and since the initiative began, several of the participating companies have made significant strides in the area of food safety.

• Kraft developed a customized supplier audit based on a generic HACCP model. They have required their packaging suppliers to have HACCP plans, and have seen improvements.
• Sonoco, a global manufacturer of industry and consumer packaging products, is working with customers (Sara Lee) to enhance HACCP programs by advocating open communication between suppliers and customers to determine areas of improvement.
• Each of the 14 facilities in Berry Plastics’ rigid open-top division has participated in Kraft’s HACCP audit for packaging suppliers and received high scores. All Berry Plastics plants are making great strides in food safety and each has strengthened its current HACCP program.
• General Mills has a group of employees who monitor packaging suppliers and provide guidance. General Mills already requires their packaging suppliers to have scanners to identify packages with incorrect product codes and to be able to reject and remove incorrect packages at any production rate. Their packaging suppliers cannot operate if their scanners are powered off because the lines will automatically shut down.
• AIB is finalizing the development a packaging addendum that can be added to the regular GMP audit. The addendum will be beta-tested in the field to see if it meets the industry’s needs before it is available.
• Beginning in 2003 and continuing through 2008, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has funded and sponsored a program through the Packaging Association of Canada to develop generic HACCP plans for food packaging suppliers.

Packaging suppliers and food manufacturers are equally responsible for effecting change in the current food safety systems. But, if suppliers are not aware of the issues their customers face, they will not know what to do to improve the food supply chain. Food industry companies have to work with packaging suppliers by conveying their expectations and providing the guidance needed to protect their brand names and images.

The author is Publication Coordinator, AIB International. For more information on the working group and to find out how you can get involved, contact Deb Krug-Reyes (Kraft) at dkrugreyes@kraft.com.