Food Online's Top 10 Of September

By Sam Lewis

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

1. FDA Swab-A-Thons: What To Expect In The Search For Pathogens
   The FDA and food manufacturers are both on the same mission: make food safer. But, increased scrutiny during FDA inspections has left many food industry professionals with increased anxiety. Here, food industry attorney Shawn Stevens answers my questions about the FDA’s process of microbiological sampling, how the agency is incorporating Whole Genome Sequencing into its sampling processes, and what food companies can do to alleviate regulatory worries.
    
2. 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.
    
3. Considering In-House Food Pathogen Testing? Answer These 8 Questions
   From time to time, we come across companies planning to incorporate a food microbiology lab for in-house testing. But, sometimes companies don’t understand the complexity associated with starting these labs. This article presents key questions companies should ask to help determine if an in-house food microbiology laboratory is appropriate.
    
4. Is FSMA Bridging FDA And USDA Gaps?
   It’s no secret; FSMA compliance is challenging. And for facilities under both FDA and USDA jurisdiction, there are plenty of grey areas needing addressed to achieve dual compliance. Here, Craig Henry, founder of Intro Inc., answers my questions about the challenges and grey areas of FSMA implementation, some of the differences between USDA and FDA regulations, and how uniformity between the agencies could address some of the ambiguity of compliance.
    
5. Would Your Food Safety Plans Survive In Court?
   Believing your food safety processes are of the highest standard isn't enough. Can you be certain every employee made the best food safety decisions every time they faced one? Can you support this with data? If not, ask another question: “Do you want to sit in front of a jury relying on a belief your company produced food at the highest possible standards?”
    
6. How Artificial Intelligence Can Help Food Manufacturers Feed The World
   As an industry, we face some formidable challenges in ensuring there is enough food to feed the world’s growing population. Food security is high on the international agenda with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, estimating by 2050, feeding a global population of 9 billion will require a 70 percent increase in food production. So, what technologies can food processors implement to meet this high demand?
    
7. Keeping Food Safe With Light-Based Technologies
   In addition to improvement of food preservation operations, creating new functional properties, and dry sanitation, light technologies have much to offer for the sustainable development of the food industry. This article will briefly review the basics and sources of light technologies and present the pros and cons of the potential applications and available equipment.
    
8. Inside Ocean Spray’s FSMA Inspection Readiness
   The phrase, “FDA inspection” often sends a shiver down the spines of food manufacturers. But, a routine visit from the agency doesn’t have to be a scary thing. Here, Miriam Maxwell, senior principal regulatory scientist, corporate scientific and regulatory affairs at Ocean Spray, reviews how her company prepares for and executes FSMA inspections, as well as explains what the FDA looks for when it arrives at your door.
    
9. High Pressure Process Validation: Keeping Foods And Beverages Safe
   The success of HPP by many companies demonstrates it as an effective food safety measure that can mitigate risk for a variety of foods. HPP validation and verification are also major requirements of FSMA. According to the law, validation of HPP as a kill-step is required to make sure the HPP treatment is at a level of effectiveness to ensure food safety objectives.
    
10. How Artificial Intelligence Can Help F&B Supply Chain Management
    Supply chain management is a constant struggle. Between giving consumers insights, meeting their demands, keeping real-time inventory, and ensuring all products meet quality specifications, there is a lot of data to manage. That's where artificial intelligence (AI) can provide F&B companies with new supply chain insights to stay ahead of the curve.