The Five Biggest Obstacles to Food Safety Standards Compliance

By Mark Mendonca

Next to pharmaceuticals, the food industry is possibly one of the world’s most regulated industries. This is only natural, when a slight impurity can threaten the lives of consumers. What that means, however, is that a food company that wants to share space with the biggest names on the shelves of retail stores—big and small—must maintain both regulatory and leading GFSI schemes. What stands in the way? Here are five of the most common obstacles to standards compliance many companies face.

1. Lack of Management Commitment
A company that wants to succeed needs to commit itself to its food safety policy. This ensures that food safety is embedded in every level of the business. If senior management does not provide the necessary resources and time required for implementing an effective HACCP program, the company will not be able to meet its food safety objectives.

Resources might include hard dollars, but it might also require a commitment to ongoing maintenance of the facility and equipment, as well as the supplies required to support the effectiveness of the program.