The Almond Board of California (ABC) has been selected to receive the GMA Food Safety Award from the International Association for Food Protection, in recognition of the Board’s “preeminence in and contributions to the field of food safety.” The award comes after nearly 50 years of Almond Board-funded research and innovation leading to numerous improvements in the way almonds are …

We have goods news on the FSMA front. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated the regulatory process to put almonds on the “rarely consumed raw” list.  After years of discussions with the Almond Alliance and the Almond Board of California as to why almonds should be on the “rarely consumed raw”  list given the self-imposed pasteurization rule, FDA …

SACRAMENTO – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday it will use its discretion and not enforce Produce Safety Rule requirements for growers of winegrapes. The agency’s announcement follows continued efforts by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) to exempt winegrapes from the Produce Safety Rule. CAWG worked with the Oregon Winegrowers Association and Washington Winegrowers Association …

Agriculture is a major industry for the Golden State. With 80,500 farms and ranches, California agriculture is a $44.7 billion dollar industry that generates at least $100 billion in related economic activity. The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) mission is, “to serve the citizens of California by promoting and protecting a safe, healthy food supply, and enhancing local …

Salmonella – we all know it’s bad for us but why? What is it? Where does it come from? Why should we care? Does my company have a plan in place if something tests positive? With all the news lately about one recall after another, it is easy to be tormented with endless questions. I am here to tell you that …

Trainings These trainings can be offered either as onsite programs or as public courses. If you would like to suggest a public training or request a quote for onsite training, contact our food safety team and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. These courses are accredited by the International HACCP Alliance as meeting the required standards for content and training for HACCP. Advanced HACCP …

In my role, I routinely work with facilities pursuing a third-party food safety certification audit for the first time. After four years of assisting and educating people about the audit process, I have noticed that you can recognize early on whether a company’s pursuit is focused more on obtaining the necessary certificate or in ensuring that their products are safe. …

Introducing the Business Development Team The Safe Food Alliance team is proud to introduce the newest additions to the family. Annette Magee, Juan M. Sanchez, and Joseph Nicholl now represent our Business Development team with Safe Food Alliance. Each member brings with them a unique set of skills which make them a well-rounded team ready to serve the needs of …

The CDC estimates that 48 million people get sick due to foodborne illness each year – but what if they didn’t have to? Can you imagine a world without foodborne illness? That’s the dream, right? Well, these four emerging technology companies are working hard to make that dream a reality. IBM Block chain is a buzz word in Food Safety …

Don’t Get Behind As with many of FDA’s new rules that are part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Intentional Adulteration rule sets a standard for the industry that’s similar to what many food processors already have in place.  Companies which have a GFSI certification, like SQF or BRC, already have something called a “Food Defense” plan that includes …