Wholesale Manufactured Foods New Business Guide
Foodborne Illness and Food Safety

Manufacturing food is a serious business – the potential for making a profit cannot overshadow the risks that come with providing food to thousands of people. By learning about and taking responsibility for food safety, staff training, and security, you can prevent foodborne illnesses, produce safe food, and run a successful business. 

Food Safety Plans

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Final Rule for ‘Preventive Controls for Human Foods’ requires facilities to have a written food safety plan. Under this requirement, a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) must develop and implement your facility’s written food safety plan. A person can qualify as a PCQI either through job experience or by taking the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) Preventive Controls for Human Food Training.  

Written food safety plans must include:  

• Hazard analysis to identify whether there are hazards that require preventive controls. When this analysis identifies a hazard that requires a preventive control, the food safety plan should also include the following written documents as appropriate: process controls, food allergen controls, sanitation controls, supply-chain controls, and a recall plan. 
• Procedures for monitoring the implementation of preventive controls.  
• Corrective action procedures.  
• Verification procedures.  
• Validation of process controls.  

Please refer to the FDA’s Food Safety Plan Builder for more information about developing a comprehensive food safety plan specific to your facility.  

Training

Training is required for all employees working in the food processing industry, regardless of firm size. The following requirements apply to all stages of production, from processing to packaging:  

• Management is required to ensure that all employees who manufacture, process, pack, or hold food are qualified to perform their assigned duties.  
• Employees must receive training in the principles of food hygiene and food safety, including the importance of employee health and hygiene as appropriate to the food, the facility, and the individual's assigned duties.  
• Firms must document each employee’s training and maintain those records. 

Special Requirements

Some manufacturing operations have special requirements. A co-packer prepares food based on your recipe, packages it, and labels it with your custom label. Should you choose to contract with a co-packer, you would not need an MDARD processing license. Please note, however, that you may be required to obtain a warehouse license for the storage of your finished products.

The next section covers some special requirements. It is not meant to cover every type of manufactuaring operation but provides guidance for the most common.