Why is it Critical to Have a Food Safety Management System?

FREMONT, CA: A foodborne illness is a disease that is spread through food. When two or more persons report the same symptoms after eating the same food, regulatory authorities investigate, and the epidemic is confirmed through laboratory analysis, it is deemed an outbreak. Each year, millions of people become ill as a result of contaminated food. A food safety management system can help prevent these types of outbreaks, saving businesses millions of dollars in the process.

The Financial Impact of a Foodborne Illness on a Business

Each year, foodborne diseases cost the United States billions of dollars. The costs are as follows:

• Customer and sales losses
• Negative media attention
• Reputational damage
• Lawsuits and court costs
• Inflation-related increases in insurance premiums
• Employees who are absent from work
• Decreased employee morale
• Costs associated with staff retraining

The personal cost is far more significant than the monetary loss. Foodborne illness victims may face lost wages, medical expenses, long-term impairment, and even death.

How Foodborne Illnesses Become Contagious

In most cases, unsafe food results from contamination, which can be classified into three types.

• Pathogens such as viruses, parasites, bacteria, or fungi are considered biological pollutants
• Chemical contamination can be caused by improper use of cleansers, sanitizers, and polishes
• Physical contaminants are foreign items that enter food, such as bag ties, dirt, glass, and metal shavings

When food handlers make errors, food becomes dangerous. The five most frequent errors, or risk factors for foodborne illness, are as follows:

• Sourcing food from questionable sources
• Incorrect cooking of food
• Keeping food at an improper temperature
• Making use of tainted equipment
• Poor personal hygiene

How an Integrated Food Safety Management System Can Assist

A food safety management system is a collection of techniques and procedures used to manage risks and hazards throughout the food manufacturing process actively and to assure regulatory compliance. A Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point is one such system (HACCP). Effective HACCP plans are created for each operation following ISO requirements. A HACCP system is established in three steps:

• Conduct a hazard analysis and determine the critical control points to identify and evaluate dangers (CCP)
• Hazard control through the establishment of critical limits, monitoring methods, and the identification of corrective actions
• Establish methods for record-keeping and documentation to ensure the HACCP plan's effectiveness and maintenance

A food safety management system can ensure regulatory compliance with ISO standards by actively regulating risks and hazards throughout the food process. Significant biological, chemical or physical dangers are highlighted at specified sites, and these dangers can be avoided, removed, or lowered to acceptable levels once they are discovered. Maintaining records and paperwork will assist one in maintaining the plan.

It is not easy to create an effective management plan on one's own. Employing an ISO specialist, such as Ledge Inc., to assist a business in implementing a successful plan helps protect the business and the general public from foodborne illnesses.