Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) for food businesses regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are now found in 21 CFR 117 Subpart B. This is the first change to FDA GMPs in decades and many companies are finding themselves behind the curve on their approach to allergens, cleaning and sanitation, and more. We find that many companies have yet to update their food safety management systems to reflect the change in regulations, much less train their front-line staff in the reason for the myriad changes being made.
Most food recalls in the United States can be traced to non-existent or ineffective prerequisite programs (PRPs) and GMPs are commonly managed via one or more PRPs. GMP compliance is measured by monthly (or less frequent!) supervisor walk-throughs where the focus is often on not making too many tickets for follow-up due to the workload of the parties receiving said tickets. This does not lead to a culture of a focus on food safety, continuous improvement, and management commitment that is needed for long-term, sustainable excellence in the food sector.
This presentation will explain the updated GMPs and give strategies for compliance with new requirements such as the prevention of allergen cross-contact and condition and cleanliness of non-food contact surfaces. Updates to industry best practice will be explored from a technical point of view. Attendees will receive a more thorough understanding of the latest version of cGMPs and guidance on the specifics of implementation being practiced by the largest organizations.