A recent study conducted by the University of Arkansas was highlighted in a press release from the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). The study showed that food suppliers that obtained certification from a GFSI benchmarked program, like SQF, required improvements to their food safety program that resulted in a safer product for consumers.
Read the full press release here.
Today Food and Drug Administration published the final guidance for egg producers entitled: “Guidance for Industry: Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production, Storage, and Transportation“. The guidance provides specific recommendations and options for several of the measures outlined by the Egg Safety Final Rule and also addresses environmental sampling plans for all types of poultry houses.
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The Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI) is concerned over a November 16, 2011 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Warning Letter, which addresses significant food safety violations at five Sparboe Farms poultry house operations. None of the five poultry houses identified in FDA’s warning letter to Sparboe Farms is Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified, however, the egg processing facilities associated with the five poultry houses are SQF Level 3 2000 certified. None of the five SQF-certified egg processing facilities has been cited in the FDA letter.
SQF certification of processing facilities (SQF 2000 code) requires control of all suppliers to be responsible for raw materials that impact finished product safety and quality, including the receipt of fresh shell eggs. The FDA letter brings into question whether Sparboe Farm’s egg processing operations applied adequate controls to their internal egg suppliers. SQFI and TUV SUD America, the certifying body that assessed the Sparboe egg processing operations, are taking action and investigating Sparboe Farms controls. TUV SUD America is requiring Sparboe Farms to immediately provide all written procedures/processes describing controls over hen (poultry) house operations. Further, TUV SUD America intends to begin reassessment of Sparboe egg processing facilities in early December.
It is important to make the distinction that Sparboe egg processing facilities are SQF-certified facilities, Sparboe poultry house operations are not. As a voluntary program, SQFI realizes the company and buyers had the opportunity to, but did not elect to certify their poultry houses under SQF’s 1000 code – a HACCP-based supplier code for the primary producer. The SQFI 1000 code addresses farm operations such as poultry houses.
This is a significant issue for SQFI. SQFI is the only Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard that covers the entire spectrum of food operations, from the farm through distribution. SQFI is committed to providing a rigorous, credible food safety management system throughout the food production chain.
For more information, please contact Robert Garfield, senior vice president, SQFI, Food Marketing Institute, at rgarfield@fmi.org or 202-220-0633.
The 2011 SQF International Conference presentations are now available to all conference attendees. Attendees will be required to enter their login information in order to access the conference presentations.
Presentations are only available in PDF format. SQFI was unable to procure the rights to distribute any presentations that are missing from the Conference website.
2011 SQF International Conference Presentations
Questions or concerns, please contact SQFI at info@sqfi.com.
Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI) recently recognized six recipients of its 2011 Quality Achievement Award, a demonstration of superior dedication and support to help endorse and improve the SQFI program around the globe.
Primary Producer of the Year – Lerinda Farms Pty Ltd
Since, working with SQF during its start in 1999, Lerinda Farms of Queensland Australia has stressed the importance of focusing on controlling food quality and safety even at the field packing level. Over a decade and many hurdles later, Lerinda Farms now carries a Level 3 excellent rating.
Manufacturer of the Year
Dairy Farmers of America – Fort Morgan Facility
The first of the two manufacturers of the year awards goes to Dairy Farmers of America-Fort Morgan Facility, a farmer owned company. The facility stresses the importance of the providing safe food for their consumers and understands that food quality and safety is driven by their employees, who are all involved in the support of their internal SQF program.
ConAgra Foods
The second manufacturer award goes to ConAgra Foods in Omaha, Nebraska. With over 24,000 employees and 40 plants certified by the SQFI program since 2008, it’s one of the earliest US companies to adopt the program. From CEO down, food safety culture is embraced throughout the entire organization.
Training Center of the Year – H-E-B University, Center for Manufacturing Excellence
H-E-B UNIVERSITY, Center of Manufacturing Excellence was established in 2008 for the purpose of offering a value-added licensed SQF course for sharing our approach to compliance with our industry and our company. The University also currently offers HACCP, Advanced HACCP and QA Fundamentals courses to both their Partners and suppliers. They have trained over 580 students since they opened their doors.
Certification Body of the Year – Eagle Registrations Inc.
Eagle Registrations Inc. has been providing value-added third-party registration and assessment services since 1994 and continues since joining SQF in 2009. In addition to their expertise in the assessment process, they take pride in their employees’ vast experiences which they use to strengthen businesses in their strategic processes and bottom line.
Outstanding Achievement Award
Mrs. Rena Pierami, division vice president, Silliker Global Certification Services Pty. Ltd. was honored due to her superior dedication and support to endorse and improve the SQFI program around the globe. Her knowledge of the auditing process cannot be understated. Since her involvement in 2006, she has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues and continues to encourage technical and auditing team members to excel at every part of the process.
Read the FMI/SQFI press release here.
The Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a division of the Food Marketing Institute, introduced a new vendor partnership that will enhance the infrastructure of the SQF assessment process. SQFI selected EtQ, Inc., the maker of quality and compliance management software, as its new assessment database provider, in order to streamline and improve the customer service experience for users.
“Since its inception, SQFI has been committed to making it easier for our clients to manage the quality of their respective compliance systems,” says Robert Garfield, senior vice president for the Safe Quality Food Institute. “SQFI’s selection of EtQ is another example of how we will strive to meet companies’ needs across the areas of auditor traceability, notifications and certification.”
New program attributes include improved auditing forms for internal functions and systems to track and report on nonconformance cases with greater ease. SQF users can expect to compare multiple reports among sites within their companies as a better means to measure performance. In addition, these attributes and financing will be hosted under one user-friendly interface.
As an introduction, EtQ hosted a breakout session on Nov. 10 at the 2011 SQF International Conference. During “The Power of Data: An Inside Look at the New SQF Data Management System,” Chief Technology Officer of EtQ Morgan Palmer and Senior Business Director of SQFI John Schulz detailed the new auditing system and functionality that will better serve all users.
On November 4, 2011, Snokist Growers issued a press release wherein Snokist claims that its manufacturing facility and processes are currently certified to SQF 2000 by NSF International.
Snokist currently is NOT certified to SQF 2000 and is not listed on the SQF website. Rather, Snokist’s SQF 2000 certification was suspended following Snokist’s failed audit by NSF International of October 4-6, 2011. While NSF conducted a re-audit in November, NSF’s review is ongoing and Snokist remains suspended.
Media Contacts:
Heather Garlich
SQF, Food Marketing Institute
Director, Media and Public Relations
Arlington, VA
(office) 202-220-0616
(cell) 703-314-7701
hgarlich@fmi.org
NSF International
Greta Houlahan
Senior Communications Manager
NSF International
Ann Arbor, MI
(office) 734.913.5723
(cell) 248.866.5326
houlahan@nsf.org
Food Marketing Institute (FMI) welcomes Kristie Grzywinski to the role of Safe Food Quality Institute (SQFI) technical manager, complementing the department’s rigorous, credible food safety management system.
“Grzywinski will play a critical role in developing our training and technical materials and promoting the SQF Program,” said Leann Chuboff, senior technical director of SQFI. “Her expertise strengthens our managerial team and will help ensure the continued success of the SQF Institute.”
Prior to joining SQFI, Grzywinski structured and promoted the Illinois Institute of Technology’s (IIT) Professional Science Master’s programs. Prior to her role at IIT, she worked for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) for 11 years as its director of science and regulatory relations. At NRAEF, she provided the technical content to the ServSafe program and assured its industry and regulatory recognition.
Grzywinski received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in microbiology from the Illinois Institute of Technology and her Master of Library and Information Science from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.
TAGS: SQF Institute, staff
Hogan and Lovells US LLP recently conducted an assessment of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In the nine months since the Act was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been very busy implementing the new law and preparing for upcoming rulemaking activities. FDA has conducted extensive pre-rulemaking outreach to interested stakeholders and already has completed an initial set of statutory requirements. In addition, several provisions in the new law already are in effect. FDA’s activities will only accelerate in the next several months, particularly as it promulgates regulations to implement key provisions in the Act. Accordingly, their memorandum briefly surveys FDA’s activities to date, outlines where we can expect to see activity in the coming months, and notes several key issues warranting close attention by the food industry.
Read the full memorandum here.
Peter Drucker said, “Knowledge has to be improved, challenged and increased constantly, or it vanishes.” Thus, the overarching goal for a facility investing in the SQF program is not just implementation of the code or the assessments that lead to certification. The true value of implementing the SQF Code is adoption of a corporate culture embracing continuous food safety improvement.
Employees in facilities that have significantly reduced market withdrawals and recalls since adopting the code will tell you the culture developed through implementation of the SQF Code has paid significant dividends.
SQF Institute requires that senior management sign a policy committing to “supply safe food and define the methods used to comply with customer and regulatory requirements” – building a foundation of corporate food safety culture from the top down. This policy must be modeled by senior management and communicated to all employees by supplying adequate resources to support the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of the SQF system.
Continuous senior management support of a corporate food safety culture is the key to unlock a new food industry paradigm for the future. I believe the SQF program can be your guide to start down the path toward a corporate food safety culture today. Please contact us today to learn more.
Robert Garfield
Senior Vice President, SQFI
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