Smart Online Partners this week said it had formed a partnership with FoodLogiQ to offer theprogram as a means of certifying companies complied with food safety, quality and bioterrorism laws.
Food companies are facing increasingly tougher hygiene and traceability requirements under newlaws. The regulations already in place include the Food and Drug Administrations' Bioterrorism Act of 2002, requiring "one-up, one-down"traceability, and the 2002 Farm Bill, which includes requirements Country of Origin Labeling (COOL).
Meanwhile the US Department of Agriculture requires source and age verification for beef exports to Japan.In the fresh produce segment, industry is calling for new regulations in the first quarter of 2007 to help regain consumer confidence aftermajor foodborne disease outbreaks at the end of 2006.
The partnership will incorporate FoodLogiQ food industry traceability and compliance software into Smart Online's business application suite.
FoodLogiQ and Smart Online expect the new application will help farmers, food manufacturers, grocers and restaurants meettheir legal requirements. The two companies will customise the application so industry associationscan gather anonymous, aggregate data to confirm their memberships' level of compliance.
FoodLogiQ said it will be able schedule and record audit results from the associations' members to help assure compliance to labelclaims of quality and safety.
Associations will be able to chose from among a number of compliance services offered by thefirms. These include label claim management, defense computer based training, premises and account management,product and animal traceability, source and age verification, animal and plant health, pathogen testing,industry reporting, compliance document management, human resource management, Patriot Act database screening,audit scheduling, integrated calendars, contact management, accounting and integration withenterprise resource planning systems.
"With over two million farmers, thirty thousand food manufacturers and five hundred thousand food service establishments in theUS, there is a need for a cost effective, scalable solution designed to bring a higher level of confidence to the quality and security of our foodsupply," said Andrew Kennedy, FoodLogiQ president.