[AIB Upfront]

With the recent negative events in the nut industry, death and illness, media reports, congressional hearings, etc., it is inevitable that change is in the works. While we wish it would be industry driven, it will more than likely be regulated. One of the likely changes is the FDA’s broader use of state, county and local food safety personnel to perform FDA-driven inspections and audits.

Using existing food safety resources sounds like a good idea, but one concern is that these newly assigned personnel receive proper training. It is very stressful for food companies when they are audited or inspected by regulating agencies, but it is even more stressful when they are audited or inspected by someone who has little understanding of the process. With this in mind it is important that the training these people receive is both effective and constructive.

Every industry category requires a general knowledge of the GMPs, Prerequisites, and HACCP, and also requires ongoing training and experience in the process, from growing, shipping, warehousing, processing and distributing.

With changes on the horizon, I am concerned about the capabilities of regulatory agencies in providing the quality of training required. While I’m certain that industry can play a much larger role and support positive changes through its associations and individual company involvement, I am concerned that with little training or understanding of Food Safety and Prerequisite programs these inspections and audits will turn into a checklist providing little confidence or support.

AIB has been anticipating changes and has taken great strides in improving our programs to meet industry and government requirements. We have a philosophy of continuous improvement and are committed to bringing about positive structural change to food safety. We are committed to a stronger FDA and new regulatory oversight, but also to leveraging the role of private third-party audit programs and increased access to training.

While it is not always welcome, change is inevitable and we need to make the most of it. As evidenced in the Food Protection Plan and its ongoing effort to modernize the GMPs, the Food and Drug Administration has recognized the need for change long before the food safety events. Along with these changes, expanding the capabilities by using government resources makes sense, but not without support. Let’s hope the recent negative political and media events do not derail these expectations. AIB

The author is Vice President of Food Safety Education, AIB International.