Protecting Your Inventory from Unwanted “Consumers”

Pest control. It’s a topic you simply can’t ignore when selecting a warehouse or 3PL partner. Whether it flies, crawls, or burrows, pests are a constant threat, especially to facilities storing food-grade products. Without the proper procedures in place, this can mean big problems for your stored product.

Before trusting your inventory to a warehousing provider, ask the questions below to ensure that your products are in good hands.

• What inspections take place around pest control? It is important to work with a facility that goes beyond regular checks on interior and exterior traps. Make sure the actual product is being examined, as well as the tops and sides of pallets, for any pest activity. Some facilities will take extra measures, such as using pheromone traps, to make sure nothing was missed during regular inspections.
• How often are the inspections conducted? A reputable warehouse will have a pest control professional visit at least once a week. Additionally, the warehouse itself should have staff perform detailed inspections during inbound, outbound, and storage processes to ensure product is pest-free at all stages.
• What is the audit process to ensure their pest control vendor is doing their job? Make sure that your warehousing provider does random checks on traps, pallets, etc. directly following an inspection by their vendor. This will reveal if the vendor is doing a thorough job.
• What is the corrective action when pests or pest evidence is found?  Corrective actions are all dependent on the situation. Give a potential warehousing provider a pest related scenario and confirm they can provide a suitable plan of action. 
• How are live insects handled when found? In the event that live insects are found, your warehousing provider should have their pest management company come in to do fumigation or fogging upon your approval. 

Time is Now to Check FSMA Readiness

We know the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will produce a significant impact within not only the food processing industry, but also all who provide services to processors. While FSMA will change how many do business, there are questions left unanswered.

Knowing non-compliance is not an option, perhaps it’s time to turn a few of those questions into action. Companies that store product or ingredients off-site with third-party warehouses can gauge the safety of their product by posing a few simple questions to their warehouse provider.

Ask to see their Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan. The cornerstone of FSMA is identification of possible hazards to the safety of food products, and creation of controls/procedures to significantly minimize or prevent their occurrence. For facilities storing food products, a robust, written HACCP plan is a must-have for every product type. Absent this document, the facility will be at a severe disadvantage in terms of meeting FSMA standards for protecting your product.

What is their recall/traceability plan? Another of FSMA’s cornerstones is the ability to track and trace food products to prevent a widespread outbreak. Does the warehouse facility have a detailed plan? How often do they perform recall/traceability drills? If recalls and traceability exercises utilize paper instead of computers, it’s probably a red flag of their readiness for FSMA.

How is the facility audited? There are a variety of auditors and levels that facilities can be reviewed at – warehouse, food processor, etc. If the facility is not going through an audit process, it may be another FSMA readiness red flag. Regular audits are a key component of FSMA.

Gone are the days of selecting warehousing based solely on lowest price. With the introduction of FSMA, and its increased level of accountability, food processors must now choose a “partner” rather than a “service provider.” A partner will ensure the quality of the product as if it was their own, as well as comply with FSMA standards.