We developed first-generation, comprehensive auditing protocols about 30 years ago, with the intention to improve our ability to effectively control food safety hazards. Over the years, the protocols have been updated and enhanced to meet changing customer and consumer demands, and ensure continuous improvement. Our ongoing, internal auditing program ensures our products are of the highest quality and safety, and that they meet all internal and government standards. We are constantly assessing the programs to make sure they are as robust as possible and that they incorporate any new regulatory findings and/or best practices in our industry. Each facility is subject to a variety of inspections and audits, as follows:
- All relevant facilities—37 in total—are GFSI certified, and subject to annual third-party audits.
- Government officials regularly inspect our facilities and products.
- Each of our facilities regularly conducts mock product recalls that are supervised by food safety professionals. In these mock exercises, facility staff must locate and collect 99.9 percent of affected food products within four hours.
- Plant personnel conduct self audits and mock product recall scenarios throughout the year.
- Although most of our customers rely on the GFSI auditing process, some of our larger customers send their own food safety officials to perform audits at our plants.
Any nonconformance discovered by an audit is addressed swiftly at each facility. A follow-up audit is conducted after the initial audit to make certain that any problems have been sufficiently addressed. Findings are shared with other facilities within each independent operating company.
Our rigorous microbiological testing programs constitute a significant part of our ready-to-eat food safety programs, and allows us to anticipate and address potential biological issues. We conduct in-house research, for example, to test the accuracy of sell-by dates. We also perform so-called “challenge studies,” where pathogens are intentionally inoculated on test samples to help us determine how to better protect our products and increase their shelf life.
We conduct tests across all of our operations, from environmental metrics (such as plant structure, air quality, and water quality), and equipment, to raw materials and the finished ready-to-eat products. The data from these tests are used to validate the efficacy of existing programs and/or to make adjustments as needed.
