Have you been in a situation whereby a consultant and an auditor can review the same process and reach different conclusions? These differences are not unusual, but they can create uncertainty for companies preparing for certification and pressure for those responsible for implementation. To support greater alignment, Certima is bringing together the consultant community in…
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A well-run recall is not defined by how quickly the issue is found but by how fast the message reaches consumers. Recent analyses by European food safety agencies have shown that communication delays remain one of the most common weaknesses during recall events. Even when non-compliant batches are withdrawn efficiently, incomplete or delayed consumer…
Sustainable doesn’t always mean safe. Recent studies reveal how compostable materials can create unexpected migration risks. The EU’s continued transition to sustainable food packaging materials brings new attention to food contact safety. A 2025 EFSA “emerging risks” report identified chemical migration from biodegradable and biobased materials as a topic of increasing concern particularly for…
A fire may end in minutes, but its contamination impact can last months. Recent industrial fire incidents remind us that the aftermath of a blaze often brings hidden food safety risks. Smoke residues, soot particles, and firefighting water runoff can lead to contamination of surfaces, packaging, or stored materials even in facilities not directly…
Is a certificate enough to guarantee authenticity? Recent investigations suggest otherwise. A series of investigations in 2025 have again placed olive oil fraud under the spotlight. Authorities in Italy, Spain, and Belgium uncovered several cases where “extra virgin” labels concealed adulterated blends, forged certificates, and expired laboratory reports. According to FoodNavigator and Olive…
The EU is revisiting legal limits on acrylamide, here’s how businesses should prepare now. Under current rules, food producers follow Regulation (EU) 2017/2158, which sets benchmark (non-binding) values for acrylamide in foods such as crispbread, biscuits, and potato products.  That said, recent reports indicate that the Commission is considering introducing stricter maximum limits…
Are traditional culture methods still enough when results are needed within hours, not days? Advancements in rapid microbiological testing are transforming how contamination risks are detected and verified. From ATP bioluminescence to qPCR platforms, faster validation methods are helping manufacturers act sooner in contamination control. Recent Developments — Portable Detection Devices On-site testing now…
If your CAPA report is perfect, why are auditors still flagging the same issues year after year? Certification body data from 2025 shows that repeat findings are among the most persistent non-conformities across food manufacturing. Many are not due to missing documentation but because follow-up actions are never fully implemented. Key Patterns Identified…
If your CAPA report is perfect, why are auditors still flagging the same issues year after year? Certification body data from 2025 shows that repeat findings are among the most persistent non-conformities across food manufacturing. Many are not due to missing documentation but because follow-up actions are never fully implemented. Key Patterns Identified — Corrective…
Hook: What happens when hygiene monitoring misses just one corner of the line? A recent recall in Europe shows how Listeria can hide where least expected. A recent notification on the EU RASFF Portal reported Listeria monocytogenes in soft cheese products distributed across France and Spain. The contamination was traced back to moisture accumulation…