Food News

Significant registrations for Speaking Slots with Mars, Wrigley and Cargill at GFSI Orlando.

2nd Feb 2012

GFSI Orlando brings together leading food safety specialists from some of the world’s leading organisations to advance food safety globally.

LRQA awarded global training licence from FSSC

11th Jan 2012 by JChowdhury

LRQA has been awarded a global licence from the Foundation for Food Safety Certification to deliver FSSC 22000 training. As an approved Training Organisation, LRQA is now listed on www.fssc22000.com. This is a significant step for our food service offering as it means that LRQA can now deliver commercial FSSC 22000 training courses. Cor Groenveld, [...]

LRQA Food Forum in Mexico City draws 240+ attendees

15th Nov 2011

On October 18, 2011, two-hundred and forty (240) food safety professionals and experts from many of the world’s leading food companies attended the LRQA Food Safety Forum in Mexico City to share best-practice in ensuring food safety across the supply chain

Wixon earns Food Safety System Certification

28th Oct 2011

Wixon, Inc. achieved Certification to the international food safety scheme FSSC 22000:2010 by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA).

Podcast Series: LRQA Food Forum Mexico

20th Oct 2011

This LRQA podcast series features interviews with Cor Groenveld, Global Manager Food Service for LRQA and Vel Pillay, Manager Food Safety Programs for LRQA Americas.

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Cor Groenveld discusses the impacts of Mexico food exports

18th Oct 2011 by Cor Groenveld

I arrived this weekend in Mexico City in preparation for the LRQA Food Forum Mexico to be held tomorrow October 18. Last week I attended the GFSI Focus Day and the LRQA Food Forum in Tokyo, Japan, and this week we have the LRQA Food Forum here.

Implementing food safety management systems in small and medium enterprises

14th Oct 2011 by Cor Groenveld

Cor Groenveld, LRQA Global Product Manager Food Services reports from LRQA Food Safety Forum

LRQA Food Forum Japan: ‘How to leverage the FSSC 22000 for supply chain audit?’

10th Oct 2011 by JChowdhury

Yoshihisa Onishi, Consultant at Japan FSMS Assessment and Registration Body (JFARB), discusses the purpose FSSC 22000 and how it can improve food safety. “In Japan, the spread of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) was promoted by establishment of the “Total Hygiene Controlled Manufacturing Process Approval System”. When ISO 22000 was issued in 2005, [...]

Industry leaders discuss FSSC 22000 at LRQA Food Forum Sao Paulo –

2nd Sep 2011

The third blog from the LRQA Food Forum, Vel Pillay, Manager Food Safety Programs, LRQA Americas, discuss FSSC 22000.

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Vel Pillay discusses GFSI and Food Safety Modernization Act impacts – LRQA Food Forum Brazil – Blog 1

31st Aug 2011

Vel Pillay discusses the paradigm shift in the way the food industry and government look at assessing food safety.

LRQA Gets Ready For Worldwide Food Events

17th Aug 2011

LRQA has a busy schedule ahead with participation at a number of high profile food events around the world

Global Food Safety Initative Newsletter

19th Jul 2011

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has just released its latest Newsletter

LRQA technical expertise assists development of PAS 223

11th Jul 2011

The group has had representation from some of the world’s leading brands including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Danone, Kraft, Unilever, Rexam, O-I, AMCOR, ALPLA, and TetraPack dedicated to the development of this new standard.

FSSC 22000 LRQA recorded webinar available now

Event: 1st Apr 2011

Last week, 24th March 2011, was the latest LRQA Food Webinar: An Update on FSSC 22000. This webinar saw Cor Groenveld, Global Product Manager for the food services of Lloyd’s Register, deliver an informative and timely webinar about the current situation on FSSC 22000. Cor was joined by guest host, Fons Schmid who is the [...]

Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance certifies Carrefour’s headquarters in Belgium to international food-safety standard

Event: 24th Mar 2011 by Alex Briggs

Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) has certified Carrefour’s Belgian headquarters to the latest international standard for food safety in a testament to the emphasis that global retailers are placing on driving food safety throughout their supply chains.

LRQA Business Assurance Food Podcast Series, Episode 10 – Interview with GFSI’s 1st Chairman of the Board

15th Mar 2011 by Alex Briggs

In the 10th and final episode of the 2011 LRQA Business Assurance Food Podcast Series, Fons Schmid, the Global Food Safety Initiative’s (GFSI) first Chairman of the Board and currently the Independent Chairman of the Board of Stakeholders of the Foundation for Food Safety Certification (FSSC) talked to our editor about the key issues facing the food sector. He took a look back at some of the historical issues and how those have been addressed by the sector, some of the issues that the sector is currently facing as well as looking ahead to the issues that will define the food sector over the coming years.

LRQA launches Food Sector Video for GFSI Conference

16th Feb 2011 by Alex Briggs

With the opening of the world’s most important food safety conference, The Global Food Safety Conference, LRQA has launched a food sector video.

In the video, Cor Groenveld, LRQA’s global food expert, Mark Overland, Cargill’s Global Director, Certification and Mike James, LRQA’s Managing Director talk about the benefits of taking a process-based management systems approach to addressing risks across the food supply chain.

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LRQA Business Assurance Food Podcast Series, Episode 1

1st Feb 2011 by Alex Briggs

Cor Groenveld, one of the world’s leading food safety experts and LRQA’s Global Product Manager for food services, kicks off this podcast series with his thoughts on a range of food safety and food supply chain topics.
Cor talks about the two global food safety events coming up this month as well as the importance of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and finally the changes taking place in the USA regarding food safety.

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LRQA amongst first to be UKAS accredited for FSSC 22000

21st Dec 2010

LRQA is proud to announce that they are now accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) for FSSC 22000 the global food safety standard.

Cor Groenveld reports from day 2 of the GIFSQ event

12th Nov 2010 by Cor Groenveld

Day Two of the CIFSQ Event, November 2010 – podcast blog from Cor Groenveld, Global Product Manager Food at LRQA.

Cor Groenveld reports from the CIFSQ conference in Shanghai

10th Nov 2010

Global Product Manager Food at LRQA, Cor Groenveld, provides insight from what has been happening on day one of this eagerly awaited global food event via a webinar podcast. Hear what he has to say now!

Fairtrade growth brings benefits to 1.2 milion producers and workers

3rd Sep 2010

Around 1.2 million farmers and workers around the world are estimated to have benefited from Fairtrade certification and labelling schemes in 2009, says FLO, with coffee still the largest category, reported by food.navigator.com

UK cut-backs could set up ‘food poisoning time bomb’

3rd Sep 2010

Cut-backs in food safety and hygiene training may be setting up a ‘food poisoning time bomb’, suggest results of a survey from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), reported by foodnavigation.com.

Cargill recognised for food security efforts

24th Aug 2010

IUoFST president Geoffrey Campbell-Platt said the award recognises efforts to sustain traditional foods and bring them to a wider number of consumers. “Cargill has been recognised for its food safety leadership, its collaboration and commitment to improving access to food and to ensuring food safety through education,” he said.

Study questions food firms on HACCP experiences

23rd Jul 2010

A study looking at the views of staff and managers at food plants on HACCP has identified preparation for future regulation as the key motivating factor and staffing the number one challenge.

Waitrose audits new suppliers

13th Jul 2010 by Alex Briggs

Waitrose, the UK supermarket retailer, is set to audit all of the suppliers for the new Heston Blumenthal range.

According to this FoodManufacture.co.uk article, “The products will be sourced from “existing Waitrose suppliers who are known and trusted”, a Waitrose spokeswoman said.

Food Industry needs to be proactive – in both actions and communications

21st Jun 2010 by Alex Briggs

Jon Poole, the recently appointed new chief executive of the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST), told FoodNavigator.com that the industry needs to be pro-active and not reactive. In this FoodNavigator article, Poole said, “There’s a lot we can do by being pre-emptive.”

Nine out of 10 consumers believe number of food recalls are rising

28th Apr 2010

A recent article on foodbusinessnews.net looks at the recent Deloitte’s 2010 Food Safety Survey results which shows that nine out of 10 consumers believe the number of food recalls initiated are on the rise.

Grocers are facing a growing problem with food fraud

14th Apr 2010

Food fraud” has been documented in fruit juice, olive oil, spices, vinegar, wine, spirits and maple syrup, and appears to pose a significant problem in the seafood industry.

Food safety breaches rise 24% in 2009 compared to 2007

13th Apr 2010

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said the number of such breaches rose to 219 last year, an increase of 24 per cent from 2007.

China to focus on Food Safety in 2010

16th Mar 2010 by Alex Briggs

China has vowed to clampdown on food safety issues across the supply chain. In this Food Quality News article, China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture Wei Chao’an said,

Our agricultural products overall are safe and of high quality, but we must also recognize that while we transition from traditional to modern farming, many of our operations remain scattered, production methods are still backward and our supervision lags behind.

Conference for Food Protection

Event: 9th Apr 2010 – 14th Apr 2010

The Conference for Food Protection promotes food safety and consumer protection.

Telling your food safety story

11th Mar 2010

An article on QSRweb looks at the food safety concerns and also delves into a recent survey which found that 40 percent of respondents were at least as concerned about food safety as they were a few years ago.

Only one in three Americans feels the food they buy is safe

10th Mar 2010

Washington-based Make Our Food Safe sites a CBS News series poll that found only one in three Americans feels the food they buy is safe.

Catherine Francois, Director of Food Programmes, Consumer Goods Forum, Interview

26th Feb 2010 by Alex Briggs

Catherine Francois, Director of Food Programmes, Consumer Goods Forum, Interview On the final day of February, LRQA’s Food Month, we bring you an interview with Catherine Francois, Director Food Safety Programmes, Consumer Goods Forum. Catherine is one of the most influential figures in the world of food safety. This podcast features her thoughts on certification, the GFSI’s role in harmonising global food safety standards and the Global Food Safety Conference.

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Words into Actions – moving from inspections to process based Assessments

18th Feb 2010

ISO 22000, PAS 220 and FSSC 22000 are changing the world of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) assessments.

175 Delegates attend LRQA Food Sector Webinar – View the recorded version!

18th Feb 2010

The 60 minute webinar delivered by a leading Food safety expert, featured over 175 delegates. Find out more and view the recorded webinar.

TRUST comes by Food and leaves by Horse

12th Feb 2010

“A deliberate typo in relation to last week’s Global Food Safety Conference. Yet a relevant typo, as the issue is ‘who do you trust?’ I will explain later.”

Day Ten’s blogger is Ronald de Kok, LRQA.

Cor Groenveld Global Food Safety Podcast

8th Feb 2010 by Alex Briggs

Cor Groenveld, LRQA’s global food safety expert, delivered a presentation at the Washington D.C. Global Food Safety Conference. His presentation on the Food Supply Chain was one of the highlights of the world’s largest food safety conference.
Cor is also the chairman of the Foundation for Food Safety Certification, the owners of FSSC 22000.

LRQA Food Assurance Podcast – Day Two -Global Food Safety Conference

4th Feb 2010 by Alex Briggs

On day two of the Global Food Safety Conference in Washington, D.C., we talked to Vel Pillay, LRQA’s food safety expert for the Americas. Vel talked about the road that LRQA has taken to FSSC 22000 and what lies ahead. Visit our food blog throughout the month of February for more information from the event.

Global Food Safety Conference – live on Day one – podcast

3rd Feb 2010 by Alex Briggs

The Global Food Safety Conference is the world’s leading global food sector event. With over 700 delegates attending the Washington D.C. event, food safety issues are being addressed at the highest levels.
We are live at the event, with daily blogs, podcasts and news stories.

On day one, we interviewed Cor Groenveld, LRQA’s leading global food sector expert, Andrew Smith, LRQA’s Senior Vice-President, Americas and Martin Brown, LRQA’s Vice-President for the Americas.. Visit our blog throughout February 2010 for daily blogs on issues affecting the food sector.

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LRQA Food Assurance Blog Live!

3rd Feb 2010 by Alex Briggs

LRQA’s Food Assurance Blog is now live!

Managing Director Mike James started it off on day one, with Senior Vice-President of the Americas, Andrew Smith blogging on day two.

Day three featured a series of live blogs from the Global Food Safety Conference in Washington, D.C.

More Ominous Signs of Supply Chain Structural Change

12th Jan 2010

Read the latest Blog By Bob Ferrari on Supply Chain Business Process and Technology.

Environment Secretary says we must all take responsibility for our food

11th Jan 2010

Hilary Benn is the Environment Secretary and Leeds Central MP. This is an edited extract of a speech that he delivered last week at the Oxford Farming Conference.

China’s food safety policy under scrutiny again

9th Jan 2010

Fresh questions have been raised about China’s food safety policy after it emerged that officials waited almost a year before going public with its latest probe into alleged melamine contamination in milk.

Food industry too secretive?

8th Jan 2010

The food industry has been criticised for being ‘too secretive’ by an influential committee in the House of Lords.

LRQA Food Safety Video Podcast Series, Episode 2

2nd Dec 2009 by Alex Briggs

Episode 2 in the LRQA Food Safety Video Podcast Series also features Cor Groenveld. Cor is one of the world’s leading experts on Food Safety. He is currently the chairman for the FSSC Foundation and was instrumental in the development of ISO 22000 and PAS 220. In this episode, Cor talks about PAS 220, the FSSC Foundation and the unique issues facing today’s global, complex food supply chains.

Food Sector Key to Sustainable Supply Chain -Oxfam

27th Nov 2009 by Alex Briggs

In this FoodNavigator.com article, Dr Lea Borkenhagen, head of Oxfam’s Sustainable Livelihoods Strategy, said, “The food and beverage industry is at the forefront of change due to their reliance on agricultural goods at the top of the supply chain.”

US Food Safety Bill passes Senate vote

20th Nov 2009 by Alex Briggs

The US Senate approved the Food Safety Bill yesterday, bringing the bill to its final hurdle. The House of Representatives is not likely to being debating the bill until next year, with their approval meaning the bill would effectively pass into law, as President Obama is a vocal proponent of the bill.

LRQA Trust and Transparency Podcast Series

19th Nov 2009 by Alex Briggs

This page contains all 10 episodes of the LRQA Trust and Transparency Podcast Series, which included 5 audio and 5 video episodes, as well as the “What Assures Consumers in an Economic Report.” The report was launched in April, 2009 and this podcast series is a result of that report and a series of interviews that were conducted during the launch of the report.

LRQA Food Safety Video Podcast Series, Episode 1

17th Nov 2009 by Alex Briggs

Episode 1 in the LRQA Food Safety Video Podcast Series is an interview with Cor Groenveld, one of the world’s leading food safety experts. Cor is currently the Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Food Safety Certification. The foundation are the owners of FSSC 22000, which combines ISO 22000 and PAS 220 to offer a comprehensive food safety solution for food organisations and their suppliers. In episode 1, Cor about his role as with the FSSC, as well as the importance of food safety to organisations and their stakeholders.

Episode 10, LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series

6th Nov 2009 by Alex Briggs

In Episode 10, the final one in the LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series, Harriet Lamb, Fairtrade Foundation, Kate Ives, AccountAbility, Helen McTaggart, the Co-operative and Solitaire Townsend, Futerra Communications talk about the key findings from the “What Assures Consumers” research.

Episode 9, LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series

19th Oct 2009 by Alex Briggs

In Episode 9 of the 10-part LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series, Helen McTaggart rom the Co-operative talks about the What Assures Consumers in an Economic Downturn Report. She also talks about some of the key issues that the Co-operative is dealing with regarding CSR and climate change.

IFSQN release documentation package to support BRC/IOP Packaing and Packaging Materials Standard

7th Oct 2009

IFSQN has released a comprehensive documentation package for companies seeking to implement a Technical Management System to meet the requirements of the BRC / IOP Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials.

LRQA Business Assurance ISO 14001 Podcast – ALcontrol Case Study

15th Sep 2009 by Alex Briggs

ALcontrol is one of Europe’s leading environmental and food testing organisations. David Doherty, ALcontrol’s Health & Safety and Environmental Manager talked to us about their ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems implementation and certification. Listen in as David talks about tangible benefits, internal and external, financial and non-financial, short and long-term, that ALcontrol’s LRQA certified ISO 14001 EMS has delivered.

LRQA Business Assurance Quote of the Day, 18 August, 2009 FOOD SAFETY

18th Aug 2009 by Alex Briggs

Last year the world had a wake-up call with the sudden oil and food price rises. While we know the price of our food, the full environmental costs and the costs to our health are significant and hidden. We need a radical rethink of how we produce and consume our food.

UK Environment minister, Hilary Benn

LRQA Food Safety Webinar, PART 11, TECHNICAL

17th Aug 2009 by Alex Briggs

The latest part of the LRQA Food Safety Webinar to be uploaded is PART 11. Part 11 is also from Cor Groenveld’s PAS 220:2008 technical presentation. In this 3 minute segment, Cor talks about section 4 and 5 of the specification, including construction and premises outlay issues.

LRQA Food Safety Webinar, PART 10, TECHNICAL

30th Jul 2009 by Alex Briggs

Part 10 is the second part of Cor Groenveld’s technical update webinar on PAS 220.

Death in Chocolate Vat brings Health and Safety to forefront in Food Industry

20th Jul 2009 by Alex Briggs

This Food Navigator article highlights the seriousness of health and safety for food manufacturers. With 3 deaths in the UK over the past few months, many firms in the Food sector are looking at OHSAS 18001 certification as a way to help them manage their risk and reduce health and safety incidents.

LRQA Food Safety Webinar, Parts 5-8 Video Files

13th Jul 2009 by Alex Briggs

The recent LRQA Food Safety Webinar is now available in smaller segments, starting with the opening session, “Food Safety Issue and Standards” being broken down into 8 individual video files. This post contains 5-8. Click on any of the images below to view that section of the webinar. Here is also the link to sections 1-4 .

LRQA Food Safety Webinar Parts 1-4 Video Files

9th Jul 2009 by Alex Briggs

LRQA Food Safety Webinar now available

8th Jul 2009 by Alex Briggs

The July 1st Food Safety Webinar from LRQA is now available for listening, viewing and downloading.
The entire session is available as a recorded Webex here.
You can also view the webinar in parts with each of the sections being uploaded individually. The first sections will be uploaded tomorrow, covering all of the opening session, “Food Safety Issues and Standards.”

Food Safety Webinars Engage Large Global Audience

3rd Jul 2009

The second LRQA Food Safety Webinar, “FSSC 22000 Certification” brought some of the world’s largest global brands and LRQA together, with LRQA’s Global Food Expert, Cor Groenveld, delivering two interactive 90 minute web-based seminars.

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Episode 3 LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series

2nd Jul 2009 by Alex Briggs

Episode 3 LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series In Episode 3 of the 10-part LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series, Solitaire Townsend, co-founder and Chief Executive of Futerra Communications, offers insight into what businesses need to do to rebuild consumer trust, as well as the role that 3rd parties have in consumer decision making. Solitaire is one of the UK’s leading experts on environmental communications. In recognition of her work on environmental and sustainability issues, Solitaire was named as one of the original 15 “London Leaders” by then Mayor Ken Livingstone.

Food Safety Requirements making life difficult for smaller organisations

30th Jun 2009 by Alex Briggs

This Guardian article highlights the pressures that new food safety regulations and standards are putting on smaller organisations.
The three main findings of the article are:
New food safety rules could encourage mergers
Added standards benefit big producers, hurt small players
Smaller processors, exporters, handlers under pressure

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Upcoming Food Safety Webinar – FSSC Certification

28th Jun 2009

Last few days to register onto the Free Food Safety Webinar hosted by LRQA.

Danisco sees Sustainability leading Triple Bottom Line

26th Jun 2009 by Alex Briggs

According to this FoodNavigator.com article, Danisco’s new sustainability chief, Jeffrey Hogue, will look to build more value from company policies and seeing results on the bottom line – as well as for the environment and local communities.

FSSC 22000 Certification and what it means to you

22nd Jun 2009

LRQA launch the second FREE Food Safety Webinar which will cover, the new Global Food Safety Scheme for Food and Food Ingredient Manufacturing, FSSC 22000

Business Assurance Link of the Day, June 19, 2009 (Food Safety) – Half of over 60′s do not take “use by” food labels seriously

19th Jun 2009 by Alex Briggs

http://www.tenby-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=24475&headline=Food%20safety%20warning%20for%20over%2060s

Episode 2 LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series

19th Jun 2009 by Alex Briggs

Episode 2 of the 10 part LRQA Business Assurance “Trust and Transparency” Podcast Series. This episode focuses on the “Accountability Gap” that was highlighted in the What Assures Consumers in an Economic Downturn Report. The research for the report was conducted in the UK by YouGov, commissioned by AccountAbility , sponsored by the Co-operative and supported by LRQA. The “AccountAbility Gap” refers to the difference between what consumers think an organisation’s responsibility is and how well they are at living up to that responsibility.

Episode 1 LRQA Business Assurance Trust and Transparency Podcast Series

9th Jun 2009 by Alex Briggs

The 10 part “Trust and Transparency” podcast series is here! Harriet Lamb of The Fairtrade Foundation starts the series with her insight on what it takes for organisations to rebuild consumer trust. She also talks about Fairtrade and how they have done during the current economic downturn. She also shares her thoughts on the What Assures Consumers in an Economic Downturn report, the latest in a series from AccountAbility, sponsored by the Co-operative and supported by LRQA.

BPA Debate highlights need for Trust and Transparency

2nd Jun 2009 by Alex Briggs

The current BPA debate that is raging around the world is an example of how quickly consumer trust can be destroyed, and how difficult it can be to regain it. Currently, both sides of the debate (the critics who believe the evidence clearly shows that BPA leads to significant health problems and the regulators around [...]

The 9 Foodborne Illnesses in Detail

20th May 2009 by Alex Briggs

This CalorieLab story takes a look at the most dangerous and common 9 foodborne illness. The story takes a look at each illness, where it comes from and even which groups are the most susceptible.

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China urged to increase food safety in the supply chain

12th May 2009

Many Chinese food companies lag behind foreign firms in ensuring food safety, partly because consumers do not trust safety certification, said experts yesterday.

www.businessassurance.com launches new Asia specific section

5th May 2009 by Alex Briggs

We now have 9 sections in total, with the Asia specific section joining Climate Change, Food, Supply Chain, CSR, Product Conformity, Risk, Management Systems and Business Continuity.

Webinar to address the key issues regarding food safety today – ISO 22000 and PAS 220

27th Apr 2009

This FREE LRQA webinar features one of the world’s leading food safety experts, Cor Groenveld. Cor is the chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Food Safety Certification, the organisation that is currently developing FSSC 22000, the certification scheme covering ISO 22000, the global food safety standard and PAS 220, the recently published document [...]

Chocolatiers to address Supply Chain in battle to reduce waste

20th Apr 2009 by Alex Briggs

Chocolatiers are set to look beyond the Easter period in their efforts to meet the demands of their stakeholders to reduce waste.
In devising new industry measures for retail chains and manufacturers, Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP), a UK government backed programme, says it has begun to look at wider issues of food and material waste across the supply chain.

Business Assurance Thought of the Day, April 17, The Cost of Getting it Wrong

17th Apr 2009 by Alex Briggs

With Food Safety at the top of the agenda for governments, organisations and individuals, the risk to brands that get it wrong has never been greater. The costs of assuring the food supply chain have been seen by some as “too high” or “not necessary.” The example of the Plainview Peanut Company’s $14.6 million fine highlights once again the true costs of “getting it wrong.”

Kraft speaks out on Customised Food Safety Assurance

14th Apr 2009 by Alex Briggs

Kraft, one of the world’s largest food brands, has spoken out on the importance of an effective, customised food safety management system. A company spokesman said, To be effective, food safety plans must be tailored to each particular product and manufacturing condition. He also added that Kraft was committed to continious improvement, stating There is [...]

Business Assurance Thought and Link of the Day, March 31st, 2009: Food Safety

31st Mar 2009 by Alex Briggs

Todays thought and link of the day both refer to a new report, Keeping America’s Food Safe.

Only one percent of imported foods are currently inspected, even though approximately 60 percent of fresh fruits and vegetables and 75 percent of seafood Americans consume is imported.

US Food Safety Consumer Confidence at all time Low

2nd Mar 2009 by Alex Briggs

Consumer confidence in the safety of the US food supply has dropped sharply in the wake of the current salmonella outbreak, with fewer than one in five now saying that they feel the supply is safer now than a year ago.
With only 22.5 percent saying that the nation’s food supply has become safer, confidence in American food is the lowest it has been.

International acceptance of Food Safety Standard ISO 22000 set to grow

9th Feb 2009

Breaking news at the event was the submission of the ISO 22000 / PAS 220 certification scheme for GFSI (retailer) approval.

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Food Terrorism tops 2009 Safety scare list

11th Jan 2009 by Alex Briggs

For 2009, Bill Marler, food safety advocate and managing partner of law firm Marler Clark, asked the food safety community to weigh in on the most pressing food safety challenges.

Top of the list was globalization, including the possibility of “economic or chemical terrorism”, which may not directly intend to scare people but is the intentional adulteration of the food supply motivated by profit, as in the case of the recent melamine scare in China.

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German Corporate Partnership sets out to answer, “What does sustainable production actually mean?”

8th Dec 2008 by Alex Briggs

This Food and Drink Europe article talks about the new set of criteria and standards for sustainable fruit and veg production that BASF Corporation is developing for German supermarket chain Rewe. Named Crop Protection, the new standards aim to give sustainability assurances throughout the food chain, right through to consumers.

72% of Americans want changes to produce safety activities

18th Nov 2008 by Alex Briggs

72% of Americans want the federal government to establish new safety standards for the growing, harvesting, processing and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables even if they increase costs, according to a national survey commissioned by the Produce Safety Project (PSP).
“Consumers don’t want the produce section of their grocery stores to be casinos where they roll the dice on their family’s health and safety,” said Jim O’Hara, PSP director.

ISO standards contribute to meeting World Food Day 2008 challenge

6th Nov 2008

World Food Day 2008 addresses what has been categorised by many as one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and its impact on food security.

Milk Scandal Spills over to Food Safety and Consumer Trust

14th Oct 2008 by Alex Briggs

This New York Times Media Group article raises the question “Is there more tainted food out there?”

The melamine scandal has heightened fears that the food business is racing ahead of the ability of governments to detect health-threatening contamination, whether accidental or deliberate.

EUFIC publishes first results of EU labelling survey

4th Oct 2008

Most UK consumers are aware of guidance daily amounts (GDA) and traffic light labelling, but only one-in-four actually looks for nutritional information.

The impact of the Chinese milk crisis on global supply chains

3rd Oct 2008

As the contamination of Chinese milk sends ripples through the global food industry, Eversheds lawyers Richard Matthews and Elizabeth Hyde lay out the due diligence procedures that food companies must go through when sourcing from outside the EU

Is price driving the sustainability debate?

29th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

Food manufacturers have begun a massive repackaging effort to address the environmental concerns of consumers. This article takes a look at the way that some global brands are addressing the issue, as well as how they are attempting to balance environmental concerns with consumer health concerns.

“Good for you” will increasingly be faced off with “good for the environment,” and food companies will find themselves redefining how their food products will retain appeal, according to Mintel International in Chicago.

US Food + Drug Administration moves to reduce “Port Shopping”

22nd Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposed rule to reduce the practice called “port shopping,” or trying to gain entry at different ports when a potential import has already been rejected. The F.D.A. requires such foods must be exported or destroyed.

The rule would require denied imports to bear a label that would read, “United States: Refused Entry.” The rule would also implement a provision of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.

Supply Chain Security/Food Safety Video

16th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

This link is to a flash movie on the key issues surrounding food safety and supply chain security.

The presentation is from O. Keith Helferich, Ph.D. -Professor, Supply Chain Management at Central Michigan University and
Instructor, Supply Chain Management, Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, and John Spink, MS., Director
Packaging for Food and Product Protection Initiative.

Are Standards the answer to the Biofuels Debate?

15th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

The Gallagher Review, commissioned by the UK government and released in July, concluded the EU’s biofuels target of 10% of all fuels by 2020 could not be met sustainably and advised that targets be scaled back.

The report concluded that, while the current targets are not realistic under the existing regulations,

if robust, comprehensive and mandatory sustainability standards are implemented now, a genuinely sustainable industry could evolve.

This ClimateChangeCorp.com article goes on to discuss existing standards, as well as introducing the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels “Version Zero” proposed standard.

Tesco’s Carbon Labelling Podcast

8th Sep 2008

In this episode, we hear from Katherine Symonds, Tesco’s Sustainability Manager, about Tesco’s carbon labelling pilot project.

Japanese Government Launches Carbon Labelling Initiative

31st Aug 2008 by Alex Briggs

Japan is the latest country to commit to carbon labelling retail products. According to this Guardian article, about 30 companies will display their labeled items at an eco-products fair in Tokyo in December, and the first batches are expected to appear in shops at the beginning of April 2009.

High levels of lead in Chocolate cause Supply Chain concern

8th Aug 2008 by Alex Briggs

This Food Navigator article highlights the continued problems in global food supply chains.

Consumers on the importance of Food Labelling

7th Aug 2008 by Alex Briggs

This Food Business Daily article looks at the ever increasing amount of labels on food products. Are consumers paying attention to these claims and understanding what the claims mean? Or are there better ways to reach consumers?

Coca-Cola Enterprises releases 3rd CRS Report

1st Aug 2008

Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE:CCE), the world’s largest marketer, distributor, and producer of Coca-Cola products, has published its third company-wide Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) Report, Shape Tomorrow…Today.

Codex adopts 35 international food standards

11th Jul 2008

Thirty-five new international food standards were adopted during last week’s 31st session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, including guidelines on the use of flavourings and gluten-free products.

Waste Reduction through Innovation

11th Jul 2008 by Alex Briggs

UK’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) have invited food manufacturers to take part in a project aimed at waste reduction through innovation in food packaging technology.

US turns to cooperation and certification for solutions

10th Jul 2008 by Alex Briggs

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced a two part pilot project to help improve food safety. The first step involves closer cooperation with European and Australian trading partners. The focus here is on improving quality throughout a product’s life cycle, while simultaneously minimising risk.
The second initiative is a third-party certification pilot program involving aquacultured (farm-raised) shrimp. The project is designed to help HHS/FDA learn how to evaluate third-party certification programs and implement them in the field — a key part of leveraging the additional resources of the private sector and other regulators.

India sets up Food Safety and Standards Authority

8th Jul 2008 by Alex Briggs

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India will be set up by the end of July, 2008 while the first set of food safety norms may come out within the next two months, according an Indian Government official.

Sustainable action greening supply chain

3rd Jul 2008

A report this week from Danisco on its waste and energy saving initiatives and a US dairy industry-wide action plan on carbon emissions.

Check-out carbon: the role of carbon labelling in delivering a low-carbon shopping basket

3rd Jul 2008

Check-out Carbon, published by sustainable development charity Forum for the Future, also reveals that 77 per cent of consumers want the government to set higher environmental product standards.

Forum for the Future’s new report: Check out Carbon

2nd Jul 2008

Forum for the Future’s new report, sponsored by Lloyd’s Register, entitled Check-out Carbon, released.

Identity theft causes concern about safety of food

2nd Jul 2008

Fraudulent activity has been discovered in the UK which could be leading to the sale of unsafe food.

Codex discusses labelling and safety standards

2nd Jul 2008

The Codex Alimentarius Commission in Geneva will discuss over 30 texts concerning international food standards.

Food Safety Guidelines put more pressure on food processors

27th Jun 2008

The global sourcing of ingredients and products along with recent factory recalls has led to increased calls from consumers for more rigorous safety programmes and close monitoring of suppliers

ISO Magazine focusses on Food Safety

23rd Jun 2008 by Alex Briggs

The latest edition of the ISO Magazine is dedicated to ISO 22000, the food safety management system standard. Case studies from Kraft, Danone, Arla Foods and the Van Drie Group highlight the issue.

Ban on unnecessary colours for children

9th May 2008

Sweeteners and colourings in food aimed at children should be banned, while additives ought to be used in other products only if they provide an advantage to the consumer, said the EU Environment Committee.

Unilever pledge to use only palm oil certified as sustainable by 2015

9th May 2008

Unilever has pledged to use only palm oil certified as sustainable by 2015, while also supporting calls for a moratorium on further deforestation for palm oil in Indonesia.

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The green product life cycle – beginning to end, and beyond

9th May 2008

Products are increasingly being designed, manufactured and packaged with a new focus on the end of their life cycle – and beyond

Tropical insects first to be affected by climate change?

6th May 2008

Scientists also warned that there will be other effects of global warming that could also have a serious impact on tropical regions, particularly on food crops.

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Slaughterhouses cited for Food Safety violations

30th Apr 2008 by Alex Briggs

This Associated Press exclusive report states that two of the US’ largest beef slaughterhouses have been cited by the Food Safety and Inspection Service for their treatment of cattle, which resulted in “noncompliances” being issued.

Standards and schemes playing major role for UK food companies

24th Apr 2008 by Alex Briggs

This article highlights the important role that standards and schemes are playing in assuring consumer trust in UK food companies. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) carried out research that is the basis of the article’s conclusions.

The Biofuels Debate: Do we feed people or cars?

15th Apr 2008 by Alex Briggs

With the new Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) coming into force today, oil companies are required oil companies to ensure all petrol and diesel they sell in the UK contains a minimum level of biofuel. This article in the Independent takes a closer look at the debate over the use of farm land as a transportation fuel source.

UK Minister for the Environment to deliver keynote address at Climate Response event

8th Apr 2008

The Minister will discuss how the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), the new mandatory carbon cap-and-trade scheme, will impact businesses operating in the UK.

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ISO 22000 and it’s impact on food safety

1st Apr 2008

Quality digest talks about ISO 22000, the global food saftey standard, and how it impacts on food processing and food-ingredient supply chains.

Lobster fisheries certified sustainable

17th Mar 2008

The Maine lobster industry is seeking to have its lobster certified as sustainable by the London-based Marine Stewardship Council.

Consultation update on material regulations begins

17th Mar 2008

Consultation on an addition to a draft EU-wide regulation relating to the use of plastic and other food contact materials has started in Northern Ireland.

Credibility in international organic trade crucial

13th Mar 2008

The IFOAM Trade Congress 2008 was held on the day before BioFach opened in Nuremberg and addressed important issues of worldwide product sourcing, transparency in trade and potential opportunities for fraud. In their contributions, several speakers from USA, Germany and the Netherlands examined the problems from different angles.

2008 Sees the new face of starvation

10th Mar 2008

Millions more of the world’s most vulnerable people are facing starvation as food shortages loom and crop prices spiral ever upwards.

China’s food safety guarantee

5th Mar 2008

After a year of food scares, China tries to assure the world that food for Olympians will be safe. John Vause reports. See the video on CNN.

National Food Event in the Netherlands

Event: 12th Mar 2008 – 13th Mar 2008

LRQA will be present at the event with a stand and Cor Groenveld will deliver a presentation on the subject “Food Standards: current situation and future developments”. This presentation will not only cover food safety and quality, but also sustainability, security and supply chain assurance.

FSA begin consultation with food and beverage manufacturers over health and safety rules

27th Feb 2008

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has begun consultation with food and beverage manufacturers over their progress in bringing plastic packaging contact materials in line with health and safety rules.

Event discount for businessassurance.com subscribers

27th Feb 2008

Businessassurance.com subscribers are encouraged to take advantage of a 15% discount off Corporate Climate Response – London, which takes place May 20-21st at the CBI Conference Centre.

Corporate Climate Response – London

Event: 20th May 2008 – 21st May 2008

This event will cover the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC), the UK’s new mandatory carbon trading scheme and Climate Change and the Food Industry, by looking at the climate impact across the food supply chain from agriculture through to waste.

Food Safety top of the agenda for UK Food Standards Agency

15th Feb 2008 by Alex Briggs

The UK FSA is set to discuss a report on food safety issues at their next meeting.

The report includes progress made in certain areas of food safety, while raising a red flag concerning foodbourne illnesses.

Co-op Gets Serious: No caged hens, only Fairtrade hot drinks, reduce pesticides + packaging

11th Feb 2008 by Alex Briggs

The Co-operative Group, have announced transparent, detailed plans on addressing stakeholder concerns. They will ban the sale of eggs from caged hens, convert its entire own-brand hot beverage range to Fairtrade, reduce the weight of its wine packaging and add a further 66 pesticides to its prohibited list.

Wal Mart suppliers to all be GFSI accredited

6th Feb 2008 by Alex Briggs

Wal Mart will require all suppliers of their own label products to meet the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said GFSI standards provide real-time details on where suppliers fall short in food safety on a plant-by-plant basis, and go beyond the current audit process required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Leading Food and Drink Manufacturers commit to reducing water usage

29th Jan 2008

Food and Drink manufacturers, who currently account for 10% of global industrial water usage, have signed up to a voluntary agreement to slash their water usage by up to 20%.

Cadbury Schweppes, Premier Foods, Tate & Lyle and Nestlé UK, among others, have signed up to a Food and Drink Federation initiative to reduce their impact on the environment.

CHR Hanson focuses on sustainability in new Environmental report

25th Jan 2008 by Alex Briggs

CHR Hanson has published their environmental report, with the focus being around sustainable business.
We need to improve our monitoring capacity further to ensure that our baseline measurements are correct and comparable,” the company stated.

UK looks to single labelling system for foods

25th Jan 2008 by Alex Briggs

The UK government is announing plans on simplifying food labelling. This article examines the plans to tackle obesity through a new labelling system.

Simpler is better on food labelling

21st Jan 2008 by Alex Briggs

A Food and Drink Europe article states that simple front-of-pack nutritional labelling and endorsement by health organisations are most efficient in informing consumers, according to a new Unilever study.
The article concluded:

It says: “The current challenge is therefore to come up with a harmonised European or even global front-of-pack labelling format across all foods.”

Alcoa Joins California Climate Registry

18th Jan 2008 by Alex Briggs

Alcoa is the latest organisation to sign up for the California Climate Registry (CCR), making their carbon emissions available to the public.

The CCR is awarding founding reporter status to companies that sign up to the scheme before May 2008, as an incentive for early membership.

Companies that sign up commit to voluntarily measure, independently verify and publicly report their industrial gas emissions.

The CCR’s Gary Gero is interviewed in this Voluntary Carbon Standard podcast.

Shopkeeper penalised for her imperial measures

15th Jan 2008

Britain’s latest “Metric Martyr” – under EU directives compelling Britain to use only the metric system of weights and measures.

Product recalls in the UK hit a new high

14th Jan 2008

Product recalls in the UK hit a new high as problems with goods from China increased, new research says.

Are ethical food labels telling the whole story?

14th Jan 2008 by Alex Briggs

Organic or fairtrade? Sustainable or certified? With so many labels on food, clothes and white goods, it’s a miracle that we make it to the checkout before closing time. This article in the Observer takes a look at some of the labels out there. Which ones live up to their eco credentials?

Aurora Organic Dairy takes aim at its emissions

9th Jan 2008

Aurora Organic Dairy will join forces with the University of Michigan to measure and reduce its carbon footprint across the lifecycle of its product line.

Frozen foods industry to focus on risk, sustainability

21st Dec 2007

Significant lessons have been learned from recent food scares like foot and mouth this year, but more works needs to be done on communication, says the British Frozen Foods Federation (BFFF).

EU tightens rules on Brazilian beef

20th Dec 2007

Brazilian cattle ranchers seeking to export beef to the European Union will face tighter rules from next month, the European Commission said on Wednesday, responding to the concerns of European farmers, a Reuters article reports.

Soil Association organic fish-farming standards top WWF benchmarking study

19th Dec 2007

The Soil Association’s organic fish farming standards scored 90% and took top place in a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study of 24 international aquaculture certification schemes.

Sainsbury’s improve the supply chain of its milk

17th Dec 2007

Last autumn, Sainsbury’s announced it was trying something new with the way it sourced its milk.

UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) urged to improve emergency system

7th Dec 2007

Environmental campaigners urged the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) to improve its emergency system at yesterday’s review meeting on the unauthorised GM rice incident, reveals a recent article on foodnavigator.com.

Worldwide supplier invests €8m to secure competitive advantages in food safety

3rd Dec 2007

GC Hahn has opened the doors to its modernised production site in Lubeck, which aims to cater to the increasing demand for the very highest standards in food safety and traceability, so a recent artcile on Foodqualitynews.com reports.

Camgrain seals multi-million pound Sainsbury deal

3rd Dec 2007

East Anglian grain co-op Camgrain has signed a multi-million pound deal with Sainsbury’s to become the sole supplier of wheat used in the supermarket group’s bread.

Nestle, Bunge, Danisco join sustainability reporting group

26th Nov 2007 by Alex Briggs

The GRI announced today that several high profile global food processors have joined their sustainability reporting programme.

Nestlé, Bunge, Danisco, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Tyson Foods are the first food processors to join a programme to develop global reporting standards on sustainability projects in the sector.

Is your beer safe?

30th Oct 2007 by Alex Briggs

Anheuser Busch has denied serious allegations by Greenpeace that their Budweiser beer contains traces of a genetically engineered strain of rice known as “Liberty Link”.
Liberty Link is a series of strains of GM rice from Bayer CropScience. Some of the strains are banned in a number of markets around the world for human consumption, but not in the US.
Due to Anheuser Busch’s position as the largest single purchaser of American rice, Greenpeace claims that the group had a responsibility to ensure it was fully aware of how it is sourcing ingredients.

China cracks down on food producers

2nd Oct 2007 by Cor Groenveld

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald addresses the food safety concerns in China. The Chinese Government revoked the production licenses of hundreds of companies. It is known that food safety is very high on the agenda of China’s government. Reasons for that are the coming Olympics and the negative publicity from several food scandals. [...]

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New Food Safety Website for smaller firms

2nd Oct 2007 by Cor Groenveld

Small and medium food companies often struggle with food safety requirements. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has created a website to help small and medium size firms better manage their food safety.

Impact of Food Waste and possible uses

2nd Oct 2007

A CNN article has taken a holistic look at the causes and effects of global food waste: According to the UN Food Programme, US food waste could: satisfy “every empty stomach” in Africa Some other key facts from the article: The US and Japan waste up to 50% of all their food the entire food [...]

How organic is organic? More bad news for British farmers

24th Sep 2007 by Alex Briggs

This Times article has raised a difficult topic for organic farmers.

The article reveals that Helen Browning, the director of food and farming at the Soil Association, sends pig shoulders from Wiltshire, England to Germany for processing into sausages and imports pork loins from Sweden to make bacon.

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Vegetarian Society launch Climate Change ads

24th Sep 2007 by Alex Briggs

The Vegetarian Society has launched a new ad campaign on climate change. The ads are aimed at educating the public as to the carbon emitted by livestock.
This often overlooked issue was addressed by Rowland Hill, the Sustainability Manager at Marks and Spencer, in one of our podcasts as he talked about measuring the carbon footprint of their top selling ready meal, Beef Lasagne:

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Green Supply Chains and consumer pressure

20th Sep 2007 by Alex Briggs

Successful consumer led campaigns against companies using cheap labour may be the blueprint for upcoming campaigns aimed at brands not paying enough attention to the “greenness” of their global supply chain. This Supply Chain Digest article once again shows that brands cannot afford to get their supply chain wrong. It is no longer enough for [...]

Food Safety and Politics

18th Sep 2007

The food safety dispute between the US and China has now taken on a further political dimension, with Chinese authorities inspecting all incoming food from the US.

Sainsbury’s withdraws own brand cereals

17th Sep 2007

Sainsbury’s announced they are withdrawing certain packs of breakfast cereals due to small insects in the packages.

AP article finds little change despite E Coli outbreak

14th Sep 2007 by Alex Briggs

The Arizona Republic ran a story on a recent Associated Press study indicating that the anticipated wave of government and industry regulation following last year’s E Coli outbreak has not materialised. AP’s review of data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act found that federal officials inspect companies growing and processing salad greens an average of just [...]

According to an article on the IEMA website, he new Quality Protocol proposed by the Environment Agency in England and Wales will mean that compostable products will be easier to dispose.