Study Shows GFSI Results in Improved Food Safety for Consumers

A recent study conducted by the University of Arkansas on the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) managed by The Consumer Goods Forum, has shown that food manufacturers who achieve certification on one of the GFSI internationally recognized benchmarked schemes strengthen their food safety programs resulting in safer food for consumers.

The study evaluated the impact of a decision made by Walmart to require food suppliers to obtain certification on a GFSI-benchmarked scheme. Walmart commissioned the study to determine if the requirements are resulting in improved food safety. Statistical analysis of the data from the blind survey revealed that suppliers felt that achieving GFSI certification resulted in benefits for their companies. Three of the most significant findings were:

• Suppliers agreed that the implementation of a GFSI-benchmarked scheme resulted in a more thorough, documented food safety management system, which is consistent with the requirement for food suppliers to implement preventive controls of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
   
• Suppliers also perceived that adopting one of the schemes was beneficial to improving the safety of their products. Most agreed that changes to their food safety management system were required to meet certification requirements and these changes improved their products’ food safety.
   
• Suppliers were also mostly in agreement that, to achieve certification, they were required to conduct additional employee training.

The study, entitled “Identification of Leading Indicators, Benefits and Costs of Implementing Food Safety Standards Acceptable Under the Global Food Safety Initiative,” has been submitted for publication in the International Association for Food Protection’s Journal of Food Protection.