September is National Food Safety Education Month, a perfect opportunity for independent grocers to pay extra attention to and raise awareness of an issue that’s already a top priority in their daily business.
This boost in awareness is particularly timely in the wake of a recent listeria outbreak affecting deli meats and the presence of bird flu in cattle and humans.
The FDA estimates there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness every year, affecting about one in six Americans and resulting in about 128,000 trips to the hospital and nearly 3,000 deaths.
Being linked to an outbreak of food poisoning could imperil the trust grocers have spent years – in some cases, generations – building in their communities. Having established processes for food handling, sanitation and product traceability is the best way to protect the health of customers and a business.
We know that food safety is a priority for grocers – that’s why it’s a priority for us. NGA has formed strategic partnerships with leading providers of food safety solutions that offer education, guidance and training.
Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, is NGA’s official food safety partner. The relationship offers numerous benefits for NGA members, including food safety articles, regularly scheduled webinars and communications on food safety practices. There are also food safety courses for frontline teams and information on featured solutions such as the Ecolab Science Certified program.
In addition, knowing the journey of food products from farm to fork has come to play a crucial role in ensuring the nation’s food supply remains the safest. To that end, ReposiTrak is NGA’s official traceability and compliance partner, with resources designed to help grocers keep up with the latest regulations and ensure the security of their businesses and relationships with trading partners.
[RELATED: Expert Explains Charting Path To FSMA 204 Compliance]
ReposiTrak has been busy assisting food companies comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act Section 204(d), commonly known as FSMA 204, which has changed the records management requirements of every shipment and delivery for all food stores, suppliers, restaurants, foodservice operations and distribution companies in the country.
Meanwhile, NGA and UNFI have launched the Step-By-Step Guide to FDA Traceability, free to NGA members and designed to be a resource for understanding and complying with FDA food traceability regulations. It’s part of a broader Traceability Resource Center, a comprehensive suite of tools, guides and best practices designed to streamline traceability processes and ensure regulatory compliance.
Consumers typically look to their local supermarket as the face of the industry and a source of information when problems occur. Having systems in place to handle such situations and access to guidance on how to better deal with them will provide support and comfort to customers in times of crisis.
Explore the Traceability Resource Center, Ecolab’s guidance and ReposiTrak’s resources.
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