Crow Food Safety

14/05/2024

🔍 Why Mastering Third-Party Audits Matters for Your Company

The food processing industry is swiftly embracing new technologies for efficiency, cost reduction, and enhanced food safety. Yet, integrating these technologies to realize promised efficiencies presents a growing challenge. With consumers demanding traceability, especially in meat and poultry, and the Internet of Things (IoT) penetrating deeper into food plants, mastering these complexities becomes daunting.

Consider this: "Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement." Without adequate measurement data, understanding and controlling food safety become elusive. With over half a dozen recognized standards to meet, including FSSC 22000, IFS, ISO, HACCP, GMP, BRCGS, and governmental regulations, ensuring compliance is essential for business survival.

In this highly regulated industry, internal audits are crucial for aligning processes with complex regulations, reducing financial risks, and avoiding legal issues. Forming and training a food safety team for internal audits is the first step. Continuous education keeps the team abreast of regulations and ensures audits are conducted consistently.

Regular internal audits not only safeguard against recalls and financial damages but also identify areas for improvement and cost savings. The Safe Food Alliance (SFA) underscores the importance of managing internal audits as a separate program, with objectives set by senior management and executed objectively by a cross-functional team.

🔄 Streamlining Internal Audits with SaaS Software

Many food processing plants, especially small to medium-sized ones, struggle with outdated solutions like Excel spreadsheets, inadequate for modern food safety standards. To manage internal audits effectively, SaaS-based software tools offer better, more reliable data.

SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, cloud-based and tamper-proof, deploy almost instantly, with lower initial setup costs compared to traditional software. User reports indicate that secure SaaS software produces consistently accurate audit and compliance reporting, enhancing food safety, supply chain integration, and operational performance.

Sillas Larsen, SEO/SEM Content Specialist at FOSS Software Services, highlights the advantages of advanced SaaS software: immediate accessibility of aggregated data from any location, quick transformation of safety and quality control records into actionable insights, and the potential for improving operational performance and profitability.

08/05/2024

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02/05/2024

What are the insurance implications of product recalls?

In today's business landscape, companies face significant risks due to regulatory changes like the Consumer Protection Act and increased oversight from bodies like the NCC. Consumers and policyholders are more aware of their legal rights, adding to these challenges.

Product recalls can financially strain a company. In this climate, businesses involved in manufacturing, distribution, or supply of consumer goods should strongly consider obtaining Product Liability and Recall Insurance.

Product recall insurance shields companies from bankruptcy caused by recalls, while product liability insurance covers lawsuits arising from product-related injuries but doesn't cover recall expenses.

Product liability insurance compensates for injuries caused by faulty products but may not cover recalls.

Product recall insurance kicks in when a product poses serious health risks or causes death, covering expenses like shipping, disposal, and restocking.

Normal General Liability policies don't cover recall risks. Product recall insurance typically covers losses from accidental contamination, malicious tampering, errors in design, and more.

Public Liability insurance is advisable for businesses but doesn't cover product liability. Having Public Liability, including Products Liability insurance, is prudent for businesses with various risk exposures, including those in retail, manufacturing, or providing services.

02/05/2024

IS YOUR COMPANY PROTECTED FROM PRODUCT RECALLS?

Contact us today for a free quote on our products to help minimise the risk of contamination and recalls.

02/05/2024

What Is Norovirus?

Norovirus, often mistaken for the flu, causes acute gastroenteritis and is highly contagious. It's a leading cause of gastroenteritis in South Africa, causing about 21 million cases yearly. Norovirus is genetically simple and evolves quickly, providing little lasting immunity, leading to an estimated five infections per person in their lifetime.

Norovirus, shaped like a blue ball, infects intestinal cells, replicating rapidly. It's stable in the environment and resistant to many disinfectants, posing a major concern in healthcare, education, and food sectors, especially in restaurants.

It's the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in South Africa, responsible for 58% of foodborne illnesses and around 2,500 reported outbreaks annually. Norovirus outbreaks are widespread, occurring in healthcare facilities, restaurants, schools, and cruise ships.

Norovirus spreads through the fecal-oral route and contaminated food or water. It can also transmit through vomit droplets and contaminated surfaces. Individuals shed the virus in high amounts, even asymptomatically, contributing to outbreaks.

Restaurants are common settings for norovirus outbreaks due to its resilience on surfaces and ease of transmission. Preventive measures like handwashing are crucial, as the virus can survive for up to two weeks on surfaces.

Symptoms include sudden vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain, lasting 1-3 days. While usually mild, it can be severe, especially in vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.

Diagnosis relies on symptoms and lab tests identifying norovirus in samples. There's no specific treatment; rehydration is crucial. Prevention involves proper hygiene, thorough cooking of food, and avoiding contaminated shellfish and water sources.

10/04/2024

Introducing the ground-breaking 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 from Crow Food Safety, where accuracy and creativity collide in food safety management. This calculator, which is made with state-of-the-art technology, is not only clever but also detectable, allowing you to easily include safety procedures into your regular tasks. Imagine a tool that does more than just compute statistics; it also identifies possible threats in the area where you handle food and notifies you of them before they get worse!

Purchasing Crow Food Safety's Detectable Calculator is not just a wise decision; it's also the proactive strategy that forward-thinking businesses use to preserve their brand, guarantee compliance, and—above all—protect the welfare of their customers. As a silent guardian that never stops looking for any pollutants, it is an essential tool for leaders in the food business who are dedicated to quality and safety.

𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫
𝐓𝐞𝐥: 087 809 3378
𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥: [email protected]
𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞: https://crowco.co.za/detectable-stationery

09/04/2024

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that germs can live for up to 3 hours on your hands. One germ can multiply into more than 8 million germs in one day

09/04/2024

TIP OF THE WEEK:

Did you know that food handlers themselves are the greatest cause of food poisoning incidents in this country!

Bacteria and viruses passed from ill food handlers (or bacteria picked up from handling raw foods) can contaminate common touchpoints such as fridge handles, microwave handles, worktops, tap handles, etc. This can then contaminate other food handlers’ hands resulting in cross contamination in the kitchen.

Take care to wash hands before handling ready to eat foods. Ready to eat foods are the greatest risk of contaminated as they are without any further heat treatment that would kill any bacteria.

It is vital to have good handwash procedures in place.

Check staff are washing hands in designated hand wash sink before starting work and after every change in task.
Wash hands after handling/preparing raw poultry and meat
Wash hands before preparing ready to eat foods
Handwash soap & blue roll should be available at every handwash sink
Handwash sinks should be accessible (ie. no bins, mops, etc. obstructing access to sink)
Sinks and taps should be cleaned thoroughly every day

09/04/2024

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/04/the-new-paradigm-in-food-recalls/

-- ADVERTORIAL -- By Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink Recently, kielbasa, frozen dumplings, queso fresco, charcuterie meats, and other foods have

29/03/2024

22/03/2024

Specialists in Safety of: Food & Beverages, Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics

22/03/2024

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰?🐝💭

The Deformed Winged Virus (DWV) is one of the most widespread and devastating pathogens affecting honeybees worldwide? It's often transmitted through varroa mites and can result in deformed wings, shortened lifespan, and colony collapse, posing a significant threat to bee populations and agriculture ecosystem.