Manhattan, KS. – With the increasing usage of Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) audit schemes and the passage of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), many food companies have requested food safety evaluative services that are educational in nature, but not duplicative of audit elements found elsewhere. AIB’s newly released Food Safety•360° (FS•360) is an intensified food safety evaluation and education product that allows food companies to closely partner with food safety professionals to examine equipment, facility design, and other environmental factors that may impact their level of food safety.
FS•360 is an evaluative product that remains true to AIB’s core principles and best practices, and is an additive to other elements of a company’s food safety program. It is derived from the core elements of the AIB Consolidated Standards for Inspection and guided by two critical sections of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, Sections 402(a)(3) and 402(a)(4). The evaluation is highly efficient by not duplicating audit elements found elsewhere.
“Our highly skilled, industry knowledgeable food safety professionals are specially trained to maximize time on the plant floor helping our customers answer questions and determine if they are really doing what they think they’re doing. With food safety audits placing more and more time on written food safety programs and records review, the FS•360 is a step in a quite different direction…its entire focus is a detailed probe of facility on-floor food safety practices”, says Judi Lazaro, Director, Customer Relations, AIB International.
FS•360 is an elective consultative service that is highly educational in nature. It differs from an AIB inspection or GFSI audit in that no scores or ratings are assigned and the conditions noted are privately discussed between a facility operator and the AIB professional. Report writing is kept to a minimum, unless otherwise requested by the client, and records are typically not reviewed.
“Response has been very positive, in particular from those who wish to retain and enhance the core value of the AIB GMP inspection, typically in conjunction with the adoption of a GFSI audit or for those who wish to use FS•360 additionally, to augment an existing inspection program”, Maureen Olewnik, VP Audit and Technical Services.
FS•360 can be used in a free-standing manner or complementary to audits, including the GFSI schemes or extending the scope of the AIB Consolidated Standards to really challenge your GMPs. AIB is now scheduling FS•360 evaluations worldwide.
About AIB
AIB International has been a leader in providing independent food safety inspection, audit, and educational services to industry for over 60 years. AIB is committed to protecting the safety of the food supply chain and delivering high value technical and educational programs. Through rigorous independent inspections, superior audits and training, and shared expertise we will empower our clients to lower their business risk and strengthen their reputations.
For more information about AIB’s FS•360, contact Judi Lazaro or Betsy Blair at 800-633-5137.
Source: AIB International