Food Safety, Government Regulations, and Brand Protection
Olin Thompson and P.J. Jakovljevic - November 2, 2006

A 2005 survey of industry professionals by Food Processing Magazine ranked food safety as the number one plant-level concern (see figure). Of those surveyed, 85 percent stated they were taking additional steps to ensure food safety. The ranking of food safety as the primary concern is justified. Outcries against outbreaks of salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (also known as mad cow disease), hoof-and-mouth disease, and other food safety concerns (including issues surrounding genetically modified organisms [GMO]) are front-page news throughout the world...