What’s New in Food Safety: 2024

Two distinct trends seem to involve more about the approach food & beverage manufacturers take toward safety than simply embracing the latest process or procedure. The old adage – Prevention is worth a pound of cure – is especially true when it comes to modern food safety.

HACCP Framework & Technology

Both the Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) framework and the Preventive Controls for Human Foods rules under the FSMA are considered bedrocks of food safety management systems. HACCP is, by nature, preventative—a systematic approach to identifying and developing control measures for food safety hazards at each stage of the food manufacturing process. Preventative Controls for Human Foods “requires food facilities to have a food safety plan in place that includes an analysis of hazards and risk-based preventive controls to minimize or prevent the identified hazards,” per the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

The ability to evaluate (and mitigate) food safety hazards is essential not only to protect the public—but to protect a brand’s reputation. It’s important to note that HACCP-based food safety systems are internationally accepted and required by most major food regulatory bodies.

HACCP is also mandatory under Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-recognized food safety standard certification programs. In order to remain compliant with regulatory standards and requirements, it is necessary for companies to have a comprehensive food safety plan that is grounded in HACCP ideology and principles. As a note, since 2003, regulatory bodies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, and the EU have requirements for food businesses about the development of HACCP-based food safety plans.

The latest technology can help companies implement effective HACCP-based systems. An April 2024 article in Food Safety Magazine stated: “Although designing and implementing effective, compliant hazards control systems can be a daunting task, the keen use of modern technology can take these systems beyond compliance—making the most of their data and information requirements to drive business value.”

There are several ways technology can help processors develop a food safety plan that can be adapted specifically to optimize their business. The plan should be flexible—with the ability to adapt and change to meet various challenges—including regulatory compliance, efficiency issues, and achieving the best food safety the company can provide.

Important principles of a good HACCP-based food safety system include:

• Hazard analysis
• Determining points of control (CCPs)
• Establishing critical limits
• Having a monitoring system
• Establishing corrective procedures
• Having efficient verification and documentation systems in place

Chemicals & Heavy Metals

In a recent Food Processing interview, Dr. David Acheson, a former FDA Associate Commissioner for Foods, and Founder and CEO of The Acheson Group, broke down what he views as the most important food safety issues to expect in 2024.

One point of focus is chemical residues in food & beverages—and he includes heavy metals in that category. The FDA has recently targeted chemical residue issues, with an expected continued emphasis on them going forward. This includes added chemicals like pesticides, for which there have been control programs for years, but Acheson predicts more pesticide testing ahead.

Regarding heavy metals, in 2023 California dealt with several events centered around specific chemical residues in foods – including lead in children’s applesauce. “I think we will see a push for stronger enforcement around heavy metals. It’s extremely difficult for some companies to manage heavy metals, because most of them are not introduced as part of processing; they’re introduced in the earth where the original product grows,” Acheson said.  “I’m talking about lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Mercury is mostly a seafood issue. Those are the four the agency focuses on.”

The FDA’s Toxic Elements Working Group is made up of senior leaders and risk managers in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) with experience in microbiology, toxicology, chemistry, medicine, epidemiology, policy, and law. In 2021, the FDA released Closer to Zero, which outlines the agency’s actions for reducing lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury in the foods eaten by babies and young children.

The group is tackling the issues by:

• Prioritizing by toxicity and prevalence
• Identifying most vulnerable populations
• Determining effective ways to reduce exposure

[For more information on the Toxic Elements Working Group, visit “What FDA is Doing to Protect Consumers from Toxic Metals in Foods.”]

Acheson advised that food companies know their risk regarding heavy metals, particularly if any product is marketed toward children. “Take a good look at your products and your supply chain, know what your heavy metal exposure is and think how you could control this,” he stressed.

Proactive & Protected

Between the FSMA and modernized sanitation technologies, food safety management has improved dramatically, but there are challenges ahead. The focus for many regulatory bodies on chemicals and heavy metals—coupled with having an HACCP-based food safety plan that meets the standards of multiple regulatory bodies in a changing world—presents many challenges for food & beverage manufacturers. To stay ahead, be sure to have an active, flexible plan in place that helps tackle whatever the future might bring.