Why food safety? Safety is a critical issue facing the food service industry. Outbreaks of food borne illness result in substantial costs to your customers, prevent your employees from working, and ultimately affect your company.

What is the cost of food borne illness? Microbiological pathogens are a major food safety concern, causing millions of cases of food borne disease each year in the United States and up to 9,000 deaths. About 75% of reported food borne illness is due to mishandling of food in food service operations.

Is food borne illness preventable? Food borne illness is preventable if you implement a food safety system that addresses the needs of your operation - systems designed for food processors, or retail outlets in the United States are NOT necessary transferable to the Asian setting. Ultimately you need to strive towards implementing a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. But this does not have to be the first step. We recommend a step by step approach that allows you to immediately implant a minimum level safety system. From this start you build.

Can I implement a generic system? Even though the causes of food borne illness and the means to prevent it have been clearly identified, the incidence of food borne disease in all countries is not on the decrease. The reason for this is that systems implemented are not always appropriate. What ever the system your adopt must take into consideration YOUR operation and recipes; it must also include your suppliers and environment of your premises. There is no such thing as a standard food safety system.

How do I implement a food safety system? In food service the cook / food handler is the critical controller, and the control document is a simple set of written instructions based on identification of hazard controls. These are used for training employees. AFR's approach is start with its manual -  a document detailing policies, procedures, and standards which is based on the practical experience of our members  and the real operating environment in Asia . We will then work with your company so that you can adapt this document to the needs of your operation.

Are there other advantages to implanting a food safety system? Flow charts are great analysis tools for designing an efficient, effective recipe - saving you money and reducing waste.

Why should I use Agro Food Resources? Because we realize that safety in the food service sector is dependant on the synergy between three vital components -food science, commercial cooking and documenting management systems - we have brought together a team that can address this need . Our team can "talk the language" of the employee in the kitchen and health officials or inspectors.

Internal Food Safety Audit

The internal food safety audit is an integral part of your quality control program. It's main purpose is to assure that you are in compliance with the most current regulations. It serves to highlight areas in need of improvement that are often overlooked because of heavy work loads. A regularly scheduled internal audit can identify problems before a health department inspection or before an outbreak can occur.

Each audit is followed up with a detailed report available in four different formats: the Food Establishment Inspection Report by Violation which includes a signed confidentiality statement and a list of the violations found; an Inspection Report by Employee which is a detailed explanation of each violation by the employee responsible; an Inspection Report by Area or Room which is a detailed explanation of each violation by room; and a Discussion section which highlights overall strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement that would have the greatest impact on protecting your guests against food borne illness.

Food Safety Plans

Food safety plans are written documentation based on these basic principles:

1. conducting a hazard analysis;
2. determining the critical control points to reduce or eliminate the hazards;
3. establishing critical limits for each critical control point;
4. establishing monitoring procedures;
5. establishing corrective actions.

A food safety plan also includes standard operating procedures and a training program for employees.

Simple Plans based on Hazard Analysis

Plans based on Hazard Analysis are prevention based systems that help assure food safety. They can be used throughout the food industry whether on the farm, in a manufacturing plant, or in a retail operation. The systems identify and  monitor hazards to food and identifies key processes in the flow of food where these hazards can controlled. Each plan is customized to your facility. Agro Food Resources will help you in writing your plan, performing the Hazard  Analysis and in the implementation of the plan.

HACCP

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is a prevention based system to assure food safety. These systems are more complex and have 2 additional steps - 1 establishing verification procedures; and 2. keeping records

Each HACCP plan is customized to your facility.  Usually, an initial meeting is set to determine your needs and expectations.  Each plan is developed over a period of time by the HACCP "team". The "team" consists of a member from Agro Food Resources , the manager or person-in-charge from your facility, and any other facility staff members who will help develop and execute the plan.

Liaison Services with your offshore Buyers

We can help you smooth out problems with your buyers, by training your staff, providing internal audits and addressing any and all issues your buyer has identified.

Retail Food Safety Inspection and Consulting Program

AFR works closely with retailers and food service outlets through its inspection program to monitor the sanitation procedures within perishables departments (e.g., deli, meat, seafood, etc.). Regular on-site inspections, micro biological sampling and testing, extensive employee training, and crisis management are all facets of the AFR program.

Food Safety Consulting

Our Food Risk Management Team can provide professional advice, guidance and assistance in the development, documentation and implementation of a quality management and/or food safety system for your business.

Experienced professional staff are available as consultants on a fee-for-service basis. Complete confidentiality is assured.

Individualized Consulting

General consulting services are available as needed. If it has anything to do with food safety we can solve the problem. We can make sure you are serving the safest food possible in the least intrusive way possible. Please call to inquire.

 

Vendor Verification

AFR offers a Vendor Verification Program designed for distributors, processors, packers, and retailers who need to assess the food safety practices of their suppliers. Vendor verification acknowledges that each link in the supply chain has an impact on the final product. Vendor verification is essentially a Good Manufacturing Practices check on a client's suppliers.

Employee Training

Do you need training in HACCP plan development? Are you looking for an introductory food safety seminar for new employees? Do you have a few employees in need of personal hygiene training? AFR has an extensive training program and tailors classes to the appropriate segment of the production chain, the facility, and the personnel.

Any type of food safety and sanitation seminar can be developed depending on the needs of your facility. 

Documentation Assistance

AFR offers assistance to companies developing written procedures addressing overall sanitation operations for personnel, facilities, and equipment, including GMPs and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs).

Assessment Inspections

AFR can review a company's current food safety situation, including review of sanitation-procedure documentation and an onsite visit to observe production in progress and the physical layout of the facility. Results would be provided in a written report of recommendations: 1) facility/grounds improvements, 2) employee sanitation practices, and 3) specific procedures to avoid contamination.

Food Safety Management

Questions regarding food safety are increasingly an issue for all who handle food. Regularly cases of food borne illness are reported. The media often highlights the problems relentlessly, and retailers and consumers are acutely aware of each food borne illness that occurs.

The risks involved in production, processing and service of food not meeting consumer expectations have increased dramatically in recent years. 

Every company involved with agricultural products can protect both the health of the consumer and the financial health of their company from the impacts of food borne illness. AFR can help you at all stages from  putting in-place a basic sanitation system to acting as an  independent third party certification of a food safety management program.

HACCP-Based Food Safety Management Program

AFR assists with the development and documentation of HACCP -based food safety management programs.

 

Our Services

Agro Food Resources works with each client to develop a practical program to meet specific food safety requirements.  We offer a wide range of Food Safety Systems including: