MANHATTAN, Kan. — On Oct. 1, the AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection of Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs were unveiled. AIB clients will have several opportunities this fall to receive training about the Standards’ format, rating and technical content changes via live and recorded webinars and an informative Web site dedicated to the initiative.
On Jan. 2, the revised AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection of Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs will take effect, impacting all facilities receiving food safety inspections/audits.
Other new AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection that will be available on January 2, include:
- Beverage Facilities
- Food-Contact Packaging Manufacturing Facilities
- Food Distribution Centers
Other versions of the Standards will be available later in 2009, with translations following as required. These include:
- Dairy
- Retail
- Nonfood Contact Packaging Manufacturing
- Fresh Produce and Fruit Packing
- Grain Handling
- Agricultural Crops
- Fresh Cut Produce
All AIB International Consolidated Standards inspections will use the new rating system beginning Jan. 2. In the case of some industry categories, application of the new rating system will precede the publication of their specific Standards. For example, dairy facilities will be subject to new ratings even though The AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection of Dairy Facilities will not be available until later in 2009.
Many factors including the changing food safety environment and technological advancements have lead to the modernization of the AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection. The key outcomes of the new Standards are a more globalized content, a user-friendly format, the identification of core requirements and a tool that facilitates learning.