Impact of Preventive Controls on Inspections

Food processors are witnessing technological improvements to provide ease in food production. The food industry has brought down many facilities when compared to traditional food habits. In order to bring productive and effective food products, there are preventive controls by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Though the food industry has certain preventive controls to follow, the occurrence of food facility violations has become prevalent. Recently, Register Corp. has found out five food facility violations. The violations include violations in sanitation monitoring, pest control, plant maintenance, and personnel violations.

In order to mitigate the violations in the food industry, the FDA has made many enactments to keep a processed food manufacturing process. The recent enactment of food, preventive controls have affected food industries worldwide. The new regulation adds up an additional factory by making HACCP-based food safety management system mandatory for all food processors. The food processors have to develop, document, implement, and maintain the safety system. If the food processor comes up with a particular food product, then the map portraying the decision should be available during the inspection. This incorporates risk assessment along with decision-making capabilities of potential hazards. Food inspections may occur at any time conducted by the professionals from FDA.

Though small food processors have their waivers, the new enforcement mandates them to follow the well-documented food safety management system. The FDA investigative staff members have been trained to undergo a perfect inspection in the food processor roof. The staff checks whether the food processing company has been manufacturing food products as per the preventive control norms enacted recently. Validation of preventive controls includes validation of control measures included in the food safety plans. Validating methodologies and procedures of different systems is utterly a complex job undergone by investigators.

As a pessimistic approach, food industry mandates that their suppliers be subjected to third-party audits. After inspection, the regulation allows the company to have a correction period, which expects the company to have a period to have a correction in records.

Food processors can make use of the Hazard Analysis worksheet. But, it helps the food product manufacturer to have only the summary of the team’s discussion.