BSG’s Shakopee, Minn., distribution center earns cool food safety benchmark

The beer ingredient experts at Brewers Supply Group recently let us know that its Shakopee, Minn., Central Distribution Center has received FSSC 22000 certification. What’s that? Well, FSSC 22000 is an ISO-based Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarked food safety scheme. This means that facilities certified against the standard are operating on a globally-benchmarked food safety standard that requires formal food safety programs to be in place and maintained. The scheme also requires engagement at every level of the company, from senior leadership to the folks on the floor executing the program.

In addition to government regulatory standards that a facility must operate under, the scheme requires work toward a few distinct fundamentals:

• Establishment and maintenance of a Food Safety Management System, which is the organizational structure of all programs needed to satisfy the standard.
• Documented Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP), where the facility evaluates inputs and processing steps associated with the foods produced at a facility and implements controls to address identified hazards.
• Implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) to ensure that the location of the facility, grounds, facility itself, employees, recall procedures and practices such as cleaning and maintenance are controlled in ways that enhance food safety.
• Implementing Food Defense controls to protect against food fraud and intentional adulteration.
• Participation in FSSC 22000 year over year will ensure that continual improvement efforts are enhanced through audits by highly trained third party auditors.