Using Audit/Certification Expertise to Increase Food Safety & Competitiveness

The food industry is under constant pressure to ensure quality products are delivered on a consistent basis – for
good reason. Being audited and achieving certification need not be a feared or troublesome necessity. RK Environmental’s work with a grated cheese manufacturer shows a real-world example of using these processes to
improve quality, keep existing customers and attract new business ...

RK Environmental, a Food Protection Alliance member, was hired to perform an SQF consultation in preparation of an audit for a grated cheese manufacturer. The cheese company, having been established in the early 30’s, had a way of doing things that they felt worked just fine. However, when one of their largest retail accounts told them they needed to meet GFSI standards, they knew they had to bring in someone from the outside to help them obtain this certification. They called RK Environmental Services. RK Environmental had been providing pest management services to the manufacturer, and its unique food safety consulting service capability was well known. So when RK Environmental was asked provide these services, Rich Gibson, Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance and a Registered SQF Consultant, was assigned to the project.

The consultation began with an initial four-day on-site inspection and review, during which it was found that their systems and requirements were generic and needed a number of modifications. Although every site has unique challenges, it is often found that companies upgrading their standards are closer to the end goal than they realize. Setting up proper documentation of activity and modifications to physical checks and effort are common corrections in assisting clients. Rich reworked the manufacturer’s HACCP plan, updating the hazard analysis to more accurately reflect known hazards, and updated the product descriptions to meet Codex Alimentarius standards. Rich also created more detailed documentation, such as sensory analysis procedures, document control policies, and created a comprehensive business continuity plan to ensure that their customers can continue to be provided with quality products in the event of catastrophic failure, fire or flood. Rich then created a food safety and quality plan among other policies and procedures. Over a period of nine months the company implemented these new standards, procedures and systems.

The company’s food safety procedures improved greatly, enabling them to obtained an SQF Code 2000 Level 3 Certification. The AIB auditor with whom Rich worked to obtain the SQF Certification thought the Food Safety Plan and the Food Quality Plan he developed were the best she had ever seen! With this certification in hand, the cheese manufacturer had successfully transformed to a World Class Supplier which helped maintain existing customers and opened doors to new business that were previously closed. Continued compliance, advances and competitive advantage are regularly maintained by RK Environmental and its staff of Food Safety personnel.

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FPA is an organization of regional companies formally organized to provide Pest Management/Food Safety/Fumigation/Alternatives and Fumigation & Product sales throughout North America. 1-877-FPA(372)-3334.