FOOD-SAFETY FAST TRACK

摘要

From regulations to recalls and from traceability to training, there are many reasons why processors want to be sure their food-safety firewalls are in place and working properly. Rapid testing is one of the measures processors deploy in their efforts to ensure they are providing safe, quality products in the most efficient way possible. Processors increasingly utilize a host of tests to check - and double-check - that their products and processing environments are free from harmful pathogens or, in the case of prepared foods, the presence of certain allergens. The need for tests that are both accurate and quick to read is driven by several converging factors. More stringent regulations are one impetus. "The days of generic testing are over. When the Food Safety Modernization Act finally gets implemented, processors are going to have to have a HACCP plan and validate its efficacy through testing. And all of that required information has to be available immediately should an auditor ask for it," says William "Bill" Hogan, president and CEO of Food-Chek Systems Inc., in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.