Nov 2, 2017

By: Sarah Malenich, Director, Sales & Marketing, Safe Quality Food Institute
SQF Global

With the 2017 SQF International Conference right around the corner this is a good time to reflect on the fact that food safety has no borders. In today’s world people are migrating rapidly, requiring more diverse products in their diet, and obtaining their food through a variety of different vehicles. Protecting the supply chain has never been more crucial than it is today, and with regulatory and government rules and regulations increasing, implementing the SQF Program has never been more important to your business.

Improved food safety standards, international trade and market integration are all required to address critical issues arising from the globalization of the food supply. As countries increase their demand for food ingredients and raw materials globally, the need to protect the consumer while promoting food safety, security, and quality throughout the supply chain is imperative.

SQFI has developed lots of great resources and tools you can use to help keep food safe globally. We work with 33 Certification Bodies and 35 official licensed training centers globally. Our website and code can be read in 5 different languages. We have a dedicated FSMA resource page where stakeholders can go to view information about the rules and regulations, check out our SQF Preventive Control Audit Checklist and SQF Produce Safety Rule Audit Checklist and get the latest updates on the FSVP rule. We have multiple trainings and events globally, as well as free learning lunch webinars that are done in other languages.

The SQF program is recognized by retailers and foodservice providers around the world as a rigorous, credible food safety management system. It is the only certification system recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) that offers certificates for primary production, food manufacturing, distribution and agent management. With the release of Edition 8 we now also have a certification for retail and wholesale grocers. This enables suppliers to assure their customers that food has been produced, processed, prepared and handled according to the highest possible standards, at all levels of the supply chain. Additionally as a division of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), the SQF program incorporates continual retailer feedback about consumer concerns. This information is passed on to SQF certified suppliers, keeping them a step ahead of their competitors.

Tell us how your organization is involved with international food safety.