As changes in the industry take place and new threats arise to food safety, food safety certifications such as SALSA and BRC will update their standards in order to accommodate the changing requirements for effective food safety.
SALSA have recently released Issue 5 of their standard, which won’t be audited against until the 3rd of September. So if you have an upcoming audit for SALSA certification, it is worth downloading the standard to ensure your operation meets the new requirements of the standard. The new changes within Issue 5 of the SALSA standard have arisen from feedback from members, auditors and mentors, as well as impact from buyers and key stakeholders.
Notable changes to the standard include:
• Section 1 – new requirements include reference to consumption of food and drink in production and storage areas, control of onsite smoking, routine validation of cleanliness, metal control procedures, pest control and more.
• Section 2 – now only covers HACCP requirements, new requirements include reference to a flow diagram for each product or product category, the requirement for annual review of HACCP or every time a new practice, product or process is introduced and more.
• Section 3 – covers Management Systems and Documentation, new requirements refer to identifying non-conforming materials, and annual test for procedures in relation to managing incidents and more.
• Traceability – has been split into two requirements to emphasis the necessity to maintain a traceability system and validate its effectiveness.
• Raw Materials Risk Assessment (Food Integrity) – SALSA have introduced a new requirement to conduct a risk assessment on all food raw materials, including food contract packaging, in relation to adulteration or substitution. The results of the risk assessment need to be documented and appropriate control measures and procedures implemented. This change has been implemented to encourage enhanced control of supplier.
In order to prepare your business for an audit under Issue 5 of the standard it is important to:
• Familiarise yourself with the updates to the standard
• Inform responsible staff and make sure the necessary employees are aware of the changes
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