[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/food-safety-certifications-a-competitive-edge-for-our-distributors-in-a-global-market\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/food-safety-certifications-a-competitive-edge-for-our-distributors-in-a-global-market\/","headline":"Food Safety Certifications: A Competitive Edge for Our Distributors in a Global Market","name":"Food Safety Certifications: A Competitive Edge for Our Distributors in a Global Market","description":"Share When you\u2019re a distributor looking to expand in the food industry around the world, not only will you want a cost-effective product, you\u2019ll also want a product you can guarantee is safe for the end-user, no matter what country it\u2019s in. That\u2019s where food-safe packaging comes in.\u00a0 At Versa Pak, we\u2019ve taken steps to... Read more »<\/a>","datePublished":"2019-08-26","dateModified":"2025-03-12","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/author\/versapak\/#Person","name":"Versa Pak","url":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/author\/versapak\/","identifier":2,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fdd4a894c6e32399c7117d9744d4cd7aec00e2f50376f90705cba1976bd21030?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fdd4a894c6e32399c7117d9744d4cd7aec00e2f50376f90705cba1976bd21030?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Versa Pak","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/versapak_logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/versapak_logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/vpak-august-newsletter-header-blog-image-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/vpak-august-newsletter-header-blog-image-1.jpg","height":400,"width":700},"url":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/food-safety-certifications-a-competitive-edge-for-our-distributors-in-a-global-market\/","about":["Distributor News"],"wordCount":643,"articleBody":"ShareWhen you\u2019re a distributor looking to expand in the food industry around the world, not only will you want a cost-effective product, you\u2019ll also want a product you can guarantee is safe for the end-user, no matter what country it\u2019s in.That\u2019s where food-safe packaging comes in.\u00a0At Versa Pak, we\u2019ve taken steps to guarantee our poly bags, sheeting and films are produced safely for the consumer, but what does that actually mean? Read on to learn more.Global Food Safety Initiative and SQF CertificationBack in the 1990s, there was a crisis for all sorts of food-borne illnesses. As a result, different countries, along with some of the largest food retailers, created the Global Food Safety Initiative.\u00a0This initiative sets the benchmark for food safety around the world, with each country following a specific set of standards.What is the Safe Quality Food Program?Under the Global Food Safety Initiative, there are multiple certifications companies in the food sector can receive, one of them being the Safe Quality Food Program, or SQF certification.\u00a0\u201cSQF covers the entire global food supply chain, from beginning to end,\u201d Versa Pak quality manager Joel Giesige said. \u201cThroughout the entire process, they\u2019re all abiding by the same global standards. If the product can be considered safe here, it can be considered safe overseas — all because they’re following the same benchmark.\u201dHe described the regulations as following the process \u201cfrom farm to fork,\u201d and gave the example of a snack cake.\u201cThey want to make sure they are producing it safely for the end-user, but they also want to go back to their raw materials providers, and they want to make sure they are producing as if they were making the actual cake itself,\u201d he said.SQF at Versa PakGiesige said, \u201cSQF is a HACCP-based initiative – or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point – where a product is tested periodically throughout the manufacturing process to guarantee everything is running as it should.\u201dVersa Pak is a custom manufacturing facility with the ability to produce food contact packaging materials. Our HACCP process slightly differs from actual food processing facilities. Critical Control Points, such as heat-to-temp or time cooked do not apply in the manufacturing of poly films.\u201cEverything is specifically tailored to each customer,\u201d Giesige said. \u201cVersa Pak will put tolerances on whatever specifications our customer is requiring.\u201dMost materials produced at Versa Pak require FDA-approved resins. When products need to follow food safety regulations, Versa Pak will characterize the run as an FDA order and it will be specified on the production order.Request a custom quote for your project >>A Competitive Edge in a Global MarketBy being SQF certified,\u00a0Versa Pak is able to provide a global opportunity for distributors: The certification allows them to ship their products overseas.\u00a0Versa Pak is FDA registered and compliant, so thy are audited through the Ohio Department of Agriculture. While the FDA\/USDA does have its own set of food safety regulations, the SQF certification goes a little further.\u201cSQF supersedes the FDA just because of how thorough the SQF is, as far as the traceability,\u201d Giesige explained. \u201cAt any point in time for a product we have produced, we can tell you all of the different resins that have gone into it – the exact lot numbers, manufacturing dates, production records, and the exact traceability of the packing materials that were used.\u201dAt Versa Pak, food safety doesn\u2019t end at quality control. We keep up-to-date with multiple certifications, and each team member undergoes continuous SQF training as well.Request a Custom Quote From Versa PakNeed a quote for a special project? Versa Pak can help.\u00a0Request your custom quote today, and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon.Request My Quote >>"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Food Safety Certifications: A Competitive Edge for Our Distributors in a Global Market","item":"https:\/\/www.versa-pak.com\/blog\/food-safety-certifications-a-competitive-edge-for-our-distributors-in-a-global-market\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]