March: Behind Every Gold Medal

The excitement of the Olympic Games captures the world’s attention. Years of effort precede the strength and skill displayed across so many different sports. Each competitor gives their best effort. The best of the best are awarded medals, and all deserve our respect.

While watching various events, you see the focused, concerned expressions of the coaches on the sidelines. Coaches are not in the spotlight. They are not meant to be. They share years of experience and knowledge, and the athletes use that guidance to perform at their best. Coaches encourage and correct to ensure others perform at their highest level. That is what we do at HCG.

HCG consultants serve as coaches for food safety professionals who are building and implementing food safety systems. With decades of experience across many countries and nearly every type of food establishment, we support our clients and their businesses to ensure the end result is safe food. We teach, encourage, guide, and correct.

We have the honor of assisting companies through times of growth and times of challenge. We have the privilege of seeing successful audit outcomes again and again. We do not seek the spotlight. We want you to succeed. We will always be there, on the sidelines, ready to support you.

To all our hardworking clients: We believe that with dedication, you can achieve gold-medal food safety programs. If you need coaching along the way, just reach out.

For SQF Success:

Improve Your Core Strength Now!

Edition 10 of the SQF Code includes the new concept of Core Clauses. If a nonconformance is identified related to a Core Clause, the point loss will be greater when Edition 10 is implemented. This has inspired us at HCG to consider what this means and how we can help.

If you “google” the term “core strength,” AI provides a useful definition in terms of human strength. With a little editing, that idea helps us see how it relates to our food safety systems.

Core strength involves building, stabilizing, and training key processes or programs to ensure they work in harmony toward food safety. A strong core improves posture, or business posture, reduces pain, including product loss, complaints, or simply point loss, increases balance by focusing efforts based on risk, and boosts overall performance.

How do you ensure a strong core? Ensure effectively designed risk-based programs and exercise them daily. Add strength training through internal audits and system tests.

HCG can help guide you as you strengthen your core. Be sure to read through this newsletter and visit our website for additional resources and upcoming opportunities. Our HACCP, PCQI, and SQF training programs, along with other two-hour webinar offerings, are listed below. We are also available for personalized consulting support tailored to your facility’s needs.



Latest Industry News

Mycotoxins in the News

For several years, food processors have been addressing mycotoxins in their HACCP and Food Safety Plans. Most typically, this type of hazard is viewed as not likely to occur due to no history of recalls or illnesses. Unfortunately, in mid-February that changed. A recall has been announced. At the time of this writing the classification of the recall has not yet been published and no illnesses or injuries have been reported.

IF Copack LLC d.b.a. Initiative Foods is recalling one lot of the “Tippy Toes” brand Apple Pear Banana Fruit puree (“product”) due to elevated levels of patulin. The recalled product was sampled under the Total Diet Study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), due to elevated patulin levels. The notice indicates these levels are "higher than is common for these products," but does not indicate if they are in violation of published expectations. Initiative Foods worked with FDA to identify the one lot needing to be recalled.



Should the FDA classify this as a Class I recall, mycotoxins will be elevated to a SAHCODHA hazard meaning this hazard poses Serious Adverse Health Consequences or Death to Humans or Animals. This designation will generally require on-site audits at supplier locations to ensure control. HCG will be monitoring the situation for our clients.

More Information HERE.

2026 Training: Courses & Seminars

Virtual courses are conducted through Zoom - no Zoom account is required to join. Course materials are provided in both hard copy and digital formats. Companies registering three or more participants for the same session receive a 10 percent discount.

Have a small group that needs training? 

We also offer in-person courses tailored to your team.

Email us at info@haccpcg.com to discuss your needs.

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