ROSEMONT, Ill. (May 17, 2010)—U.S. Foodservice is continuing its commitment to food safety by hosting a technical working group established to standardize the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), or, food safety standards, in the United States. The meeting of the “Produce Harmonization Initiative,” as it is known in the food industry, is in Rosemont, Illinois, from May 12-13.
This influential group of industry representatives is working to develop
a single set of national standards for the produce industry in the
United States that can be audited, recognized and accepted globally by
all segments of the food industry. The result of the initiative would
enhance consumers’ protection from potential hazards that may
contaminate produce at the farm-level. Participants include some of
America’s most respected organizations, including Chiquita/Fresh
Express, McDonald’s, Sunkist Growers, Target, Taylor Farms, and the
United Fresh Produce Association.
The goal of the technical
working group is to develop the best food safety standards to protect
consumers. The first draft of these standards is expected by October 1,
2010.
“We work in partnership with other industry leaders to
create a continuous improvement cycle for food safety standards,” said
Jorge Hernandez, U.S. Foodservice’s senior vice president, food safety
and quality assurance. “This work is crucial to the constant enhancement
of consumer protection in the United States.”
Hernandez is
responsible for setting the food safety and quality standards for the
U.S. Foodservice distribution centers, food processing facilities, and
private label products, and is an advocate of the continuous improvement
and harmonization of food safety standards across the world. He shared
the company’s best practices in food protection for agricultural
suppliers at the 2009 GLOBALGAP conference in Montevideo, Uruguay.
About Jorge Hernandez
Jorge
Hernandez is senior vice president, Food Safety and Quality Assurance
for U.S. Foodservice. He is a sanitarian, a certified food safety
instructor, a past FDA standardization officer and serves as a board
member of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), GLOBALGAP, Food
Safety System Certification 2200, and Advocate Healthcare’s Advocate
Charitable Foundation. He is also a member of the NRA’s Quality
Assurance Executives Study Group, the Global Food Safety Initiative’s
(GFSI) Technical Committee, the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) Accreditation Committee and the Conference for Food Protection
(CFP). Jorge also served as a scientific member of the National Egg
Board’s Food Safety Advisory Panel and the International HACCP Alliance
Board.
About U.S. Foodservice
U.S. Foodservice is one of
the country’s premier foodservice distributors, offering more than
43,000 national, private label and signature brand items and an array of
services to its more than 250,000 customers. The company proudly
employs 25,000 associates in more than 60 locations nationwide who are
poised to serve customers beyond their expectations. As an industry
leader, with access to resources beyond the ordinary, U.S. Foodservice
provides the finest quality food and related products to neighborhood
restaurants, hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, hotels,
government entities and other eating establishments.
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