Wal-Mart urges retailer support of food safety plan

NEW YORK -- In the wake of this year's high-profile food recalls, Wal-Mart Stores' Vice President of Food Safety Frank Yiannas called upon food retailers to join the retail giant and several other global retailers in embracing the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), an effort to create and adopt uniform food safety standards.

"The hope is that more retailers and foodservice organizations are going to join us in this effort," he said. "[GFSI] is our greatest opportunity to create a universal standard of safe food, and advance food safety and the quality of life for consumers around the world."

Yiannas addressed food safety on Aug. 21 in a webinar, "The Future of a Safe Global Food Supply," hosted by SN here and sponsored by NSF International, Ann Arbor, Mich. Other panelists on the webinar, which can be accessed at supermarketnews.com, were Kari Barrett, senior advisor, Office of Food Protection, Food and Drug Administration, Washington, and Tom Chestnut, vice president, supply chain food safety and quality, NSF.

For the complete news item, please visit http://www.accountab...Hash=7b76867c64