How Technology Supports Your FSMA Compliance

If you’re like most food industry professionals, you are well aware of the Food Safety Modernization Act and its impact on the industry. And while FSMA has been front of mind for the industry even well before President Obama signed it into law over 5 years ago, it's finally getting real for the food industry with the first deadline for most large food manufacturers hitting on September 16th. 

“It’s the law,” Jim Gorny, vice president of food safety and technology for the Produce Marketing Association, said during a recent presentation at the Center for Produce Safety’s annual research symposium in Seattle. “It’s on the books.” 

And now, the first of many FSMA compliance deadlines is just over a month away. What will FSMA look like for your company? Where are you in your FSMA compliance efforts?  To help you get there, we've identified three key ways technology can support your FSMA readiness and implementation.  

Automated Workflows for SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT 

Under FSMA regulations, your food safety and supplier documentation is critical to demonstrate how you document your food safety plan, verify the safety of your supply chain partners (especially foreign suppliers) and manage recalls and other food safety issues effectively - and these records must be compiled within 24 hours of an FDA request and maintained for a minimum of two years. 

Using a Supplier Management software or a Food Safety Management System, like FoodLogiQ Connect, can help automate these requirements and streamline your safety processes and documentation.  By leveraging the right technology, you can automate much of your food safety compliance to help ease the burden of FSMA. 

MOBILE Audit Management 

Many food manufacturers not only need the ability to automate the management of their required supplier documents, they also need increased visibility to the compliance, safety practices and performance of their suppliers, especially when it comes to audits and certifications.

Using a mobile food safety audit software system, you can achieve 24/7 visibility into your suppliers and distributors to make sure they are meeting your specific food safety guidelines for quality assurance and are being inspected by your internal audit teams or by an approved third-party auditor.  

END-TO-END Traceability  SOFTWARE 

With increasingly complex supply chains, traceability across your entire supply chain is critical for effective recall management and managing quality of your products. For high-risk foods within your supply chain, it is especially critical to have visibility into the “last mile” of that product’s journey to the consumer. 

Interested in seeing how FoodLogiQ Connect can support your FSMA compliance? Request a demo or download 4 Key Elements for FSMA Readiness: Shifting from a Reactive to a Proactive Approach to Food Safety.