Frontier Co-op joins Alliance for Advanced Sanitation
The alliance, launched by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and industry partners in 2015, aims to improve sanitation approaches and practices with and for the food industry.
It is based in the Food Innovation Center at Nebraska Innovation Campus and funded by annual fees from members.
A 4,000-square foot sanitation space is available for applied research and teaching.
Activities are focused on microbial pathogens, allergens, toxic chemicals and water conservation in sanitation operations.
Members include 3M, Cargill, Ecolab, Hershey’s, Neogen, Kellogg’s and Nestlé.
Angela Anandappa, director of the alliance, said when it comes to sanitation, organic products have some ‘very interesting’ challenges.
“Frontier Co-op offers great insight into the needs of organic agriculture and food processing which will allow us to support a new sector of the industry.”
Frontier Co-op, based in Norway, Iowa, offers natural and organic products under the Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands.
These include culinary herbs, spices and baking flavours; bulk herbs and spices; and natural and organic aromatherapy items.
Jen Olsen, vice president of operations at Frontier Co-op, said practicing sanitation under organic standards is one of the drivers that led it to join the alliance.
“Those who are out in front in terms of food safety will be the ones consumers trust and are loyal to at the end of the day,” she said.
“As a member of the alliance Frontier Co-op looks forward to benchmarking with other organic processors and helping to develop industry best practices when it comes to organics.”
