Food safety certification is necessary for ensuring that all food and drink products – and the environment in which they are made – are safe for consumption. Going above and beyond can land a company more clients and expand its reach to larger retailers across North America and the world. But what is food safety certification exactly?
Food Safety Certification Is A Legal Requirement
In any food-handling facility, many potential hazards exist that can make their way to the consumer. Whether they’re food-borne illnesses, contaminants, or sensitive ingredients, the risks can carry consequences for the customer, the business and its employees.
Food safety certification programs give employees the training to reduce these risks, helping food companies meet the levels of compliance required of them at every level. Earning a food safety certificate is for those who handle food at all processing stages; they receive it after completing a certified food safety training course.
In Ontario, laws require that food sold in the province meet all standards set out in the Ontario Food Premises Regulations. These laws ensure that anything offered to Ontarians is safe and suitable for human consumption. While certification is a legal requirement for many workers in supervisory roles, all facilities should implement a plan covering every staff member handling food. It shows that these workers have the fundamental knowledge and skills to safely handle food in their workplace.
What Does Food Safety Certification Show?
Having food safety certification shows that the people in your business know the following:
- How to properly clean and sanitize all surfaces, equipment and utensils used to process food
- How to prepare, process, and store food to the right temperature, environment and equipment standards
- How to maintain a high standard of personal hygiene on the job
- How to keep customers safe from pathogens and contaminants that cause food poisoning
- How food contamination occurs and how it can threaten the health and lives of those with food allergies and intolerances
- The legal obligations regarding food handling
- The proper implementation of pest control measures
By enrolling in and implementing different food safety certification programs, a food business can improve its work processes, produce a consistent product, and ensure everything is safe for consumption.
Who Needs Food Safety Certification?
Food safety standards are set and enforced at a federal, provincial and municipal level. If you’re the owner, training manager or general manager of a business that handles food, you need to understand the specific laws to which your company must adhere. It’s how you can ensure that the business stays within the standards set out by federal, provincial and municipal laws.
Food safety certification is serious, and the expertise it imparts must cover all sensitive areas of a business. You are required to have at least one certified food handler in a supervisory capacity in each part of the premises where food is prepared, processed, served, packaged or stored during all hours of operation.
One essential program is the Safe Quality Foods or SQF certification. It assures your clients that your company has food safety plans that follow the CODEX HACCP method and other applicable regulatory requirements. With Quantum Food Solutions consultants verifying your SQF standards, you can feel secure knowing you’ll meet the highest standards possible.