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A global food maker, a developer of certified audit programs and consultants discuss non-regulatory onsite plant audits and how they improve food safety, customer compliance and food quality.

 Over the last 10 to 15 years, more low- and high-acid products have been processed in ways designed to kill bacteria and extend the life of foods and liquids. Retort-style thermal processing, chilling and refrigeration steps and the use of preservatives remain the most common routes to produce shelf-stable foods and beverages in the US. 

A June 10, 2011 report on Deutsche Welle states “bean sprouts are the likely source of an E. coli outbreak in Germany that has killed 31 people and made nearly 3,000 ill since May [2011].” This information was attributed to Reinhard Burger, president of Germany’s federal infectious disease laboratory, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). 

 You may be able to use a spreadsheet or home accounting program to get your household finances in order. But, there are so many places for cash to evaporate in a food or beverage plant, that unless you are using an integrated software system to track and focus every process, you may never know if leaks exist. 

Whether you’re a small, medium or large food and beverage manufacturer, taking the plunge and opening a new plant in a foreign country is a huge decision, often fraught with risks you may have never envisioned. But there are alternatives, and finding the one that makes sense for your operation can help propel your products into the global marketplace.