Original press release by Phil Bogdan, AACC International
St. Paul, Minn. (October 2015)–An ISO 22000 compliant food safety management system is vital for operations that store, handle, or process grain foods.
Setting up such a system for the grains industry, however, can be challenging. General ISO 22000 food safety guidelines do not always translate well for grains, and the costs of misinterpreting these guidelines can be high when auditors visit.
A new solution to these issues is a document titled User’s Guide to ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System for the Grain Handling, Processing, Milling, and Baking Industries, which was developed by AACC International, a premier association of the cereal sciences, and licensed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
This 60-plus page document is a how-to guide for developing and implementing ISO 22000 food safety standards specifically for any business that handles or processes bulk grains or ingredients. It includes the complete ISO 22000 standard, plus color-coded sections that impart valuable knowledge, experience, and advice from experts in the grain handling, processing, milling, and baking industries.
The color-coded sections are easy to follow and appear throughout this tailored document to help organizations learn:
- Food safety guideline interpretations applied to the grains industry
- Best application practices for grain handling and processing environments
- Key advice for dealing with third-party audits and auditors
“This guide significantly reduces the cost of compliance through the sharing of knowledge and best practices,” said Charles Hurburgh, Professor of Ag & Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University and member of the AACCI Food Safety Task Force, which developed this publication.
“Compliance brings operations in line with Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules, plus it allows for better organization, consistent safety and product quality standards, and the generation of vital documentation that’s increasingly necessary for a world supply chain environment,” Hurburgh said.
Organizations can visit aaccnet.org/iso to download individual or multiple licenses of this document for key staff, including quality assurance and control managers, process engineers, legal staff, compliance and regulatory managers, and supply chain managers.
The User’s Guide to ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System for the Grain Handling, Processing, Milling, and Baking Industries will also receive periodic mandatory reviews, allowing license holders to receive occasional updates and ensure their standards are current.
AACCI is a global, nonprofit association of nearly 2,500 scientists and food industry professionals working to advance the understanding and knowledge of cereal grain science and its product development applications through research, leadership, education, superior technical service, and advocacy.