Food Online's Top 10 Of November

By Sam Lewis

What was most important to our readers in November? Take a look back at last month by reviewing the 10 most-popular articles that appeared on Food Online.

1. The ABCs Of Building A Food Safety Plan: From HACCP To HARPC
   The FDA required hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) for juice and seafood, and the USDA for meat and poultry. The Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) proposed Preventive Controls rule for Human Food requires a written Food Safety Plan (FSP) be developed using the hazard analysis risk-based preventive control (HARPC) approach. A preventive approach to food safety is nothing new. But the HARPC approach is a new paradigm shift in thinking. This article will explain this new thinking, define, what HARPC approach is, explain how HARPC is different than HACCP, and how employing this thinking helps you arrive at developing a Food Safety Plan.
    
2. Schwan Food Simplifies Ingredients In Response To Consumer Demands
   The Schwan Food Co., based in Bloomington, MN, is looking to simplify its menu. This doesn’t mean the company is reducing its wide assortment of frozen foods. Instead, as part of a growing trend toward “clean labels,” it is planning to eliminate four ingredient groups with the goal of making foods with more familiar and healthy ingredients.
    
3. What Are The Latest Technologies To Eliminate Microbial Food Pathogens?
   In this podcast, research scientist in novel food processing Dr. Tatiana Koutchma, discusses with Food Online Voices High Pressure Processing (HPP) and how it is used to improve food safety. Additionally, Dr. Koutchma explains what electromagnetic heating is, what the food manufacturing industry is doing with this technology, and how it is benefitting food manufacturers and processors. Finally, Dr. Koutchma discusses how Ultraviolet (UV) light is being utilized in the food manufacturing and processing industry to reduce pathogens and bolster food safety.
    
4. What To Consider When Choosing A GFSI Recognized Food Safety Management Scheme
   Choosing which GFSI benchmarked standard your company should implement can be an intimidating decision. Further, once a recognized scheme is decided upon, preparing for your company’s first audit against those schemes can be unnerving. Here are some considerations for choosing which GFSI benchmark is right for you and preparing for that scheme’s audit.
    
5. Addressing Concerns Of FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule
   FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule became final on October 31, 2015. This rule covers nearly every aspect of the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption. Because there are so many new criteria, it comes as no surprise that there is confusion among produce growers about how to comply with them. Here, Nye Hardy, a former director of food safety at Dole Fresh Vegetables, answers my questions about becoming compliant with FSMA’s Produce Safety Rule and the effects it will have on the produce and food manufacturing industry.
    
6. Quality Proves Fundamental To Food Business
   Few industries are more concerned with quality than food manufacturing. Yet the need for quality goes far beyond food safety. Flavor, nutrition, shelf life, packaging performance, not to mention business imperatives such as competitive advantage and profitability, all rely heavily on quality.
    
7. Food Manufacturing’s Russian Roulette: No Allergen Control Plan
   In order for a food manufacturing plant to run safely and effectively, the development and implementation of an Allergen Control Plan (ACP) is crucial. The avoidance of cross-contamination of allergy producing substances will prevent food recalls, bad publicity, or even worse, any human adverse physical reactions. Developing a method to systematically identify and prevent allergens from coming into contact with food being manufactured and/or the packaging of foods is a vital part of the process.
    
8. Eye Tracking Gains Purchase In Packaging Design
   Andrew Hurley, an assistant professor for the Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics at Clemson University, discusses his research and practice, focused on optimizing the packaging design and development process by integrating eye-tracking technology. Further, Hurley discusses how consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) are increasingly relying on eye tracking, and other packaging technologies, to capture consumers’ attention and increase sales in the competitive fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market.
    
9. PMMI Study Shows Flexible Packaging On Growth Path
   In the last decade, flexible packaging has grown to the second-largest packaging segment in the U.S., according to a new study just released by PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Flexible Packaging Market Assessment Report 2015 also suggests that while flexible packaging will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, the pace may slow somewhat.
    
10. How To Choose And Implement The Right Food Traceability System
    If you intend to remain competitive as a food processor, there is one certainty: implementing a computerized plant floor data collection and traceability system is in your future.