Food Safety Culture Plan

Hi All, 

I cannot make sure about food safety culture plan to reflect new BRC V9 requirements. Would you be able to share an example ? I am very under pressure to cover this section. 

Also There is another change which is authenticity word. How do you cover this change ? Did you do only training ? or Do we need a new SOP ? 

I am very under pressure to cover these two sections. if you could share your experience, that would be great. 

Thank you for the help in advance

Hi bunch7,

Food Safety Culture development will need to involve and be led by Senior Management, here is an extract from BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety Issue 9 Guidelines of what is required:

The site is required to develop, implement and maintain a clear plan or programme for developing and improving its culture.

A wide range of activities could be incorporated into a culture development plan, some of which the company may already be conducting. As a minimum, the Standard requires:

• a clear and open communication on product safety

• training

• feedback from employees

• behaviour changes required to maintain and improve product safety processes

• performance measurement on product safety, authenticity, legality and quality related activities.

I would recommend getting the BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety (Issue 9) Interpretation Guideline if you don’t already have it/have access to it.

A Best Practice Guide to Product Safety Culture is available from the BRCGS Store or can be viewed online at BRCGS Participate if you have access.

Here is A Culture of Food Safety - A Position Paper from the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) which you might find useful:

GFSI-Food-Safety-Culture-Full.pdf   2.38MB   212 downloads

Integrity was substituted Authenticity in Issue 9, to ensure consistent terminology throughout the standard, it is a better description of the aim IMO and you should have covered off any authenticity requirements where product integrity was a requirement in Issue 8. Also ‘Authenticity’ was added to several clauses to highlight the importance of senior management commitment in preventing food fraud and therefore ensuring products are authentic.

BRCGS Global Standard Food Safety Issue 9 Glossary Definitions:

Food integrity

Products that are of the nature, substance and quality expected (e.g. not substituted, diluted, adulterated or misrepresented).

Authenticity/authentic product

Food authenticity is ensuring that food or raw materials purchased and offered for sale, are of the nature, substance and quality expected.

Kind regards,

Tony

Hi Tony, 

Many thanks for the help.