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Introduction to the Standard

AIB International, formerly the American Institute for Baking, was founded in 1919 to “put science to work for bakers.” Since then, AIB has grown into one of the world’s foremost training organizations on food safety, setting AIB standards for quality and safety.

The AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection of Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs are statements that represent key requirements that a facility must meet in order to keep the food products in a facility wholesome and safe. The Standards also refl ect what an inspector would expect to see in a facility that maintains a food-safe processing environment.

An AIB Standards Inspection: The Basics

AIB standards include the following five categories, which form the basis of inspection steps. Some apply more to the manufacturing environment than distribution.

1. Operational Methods and Personnel Practices

   • Standards in this category are related to food handling and processing. Facilities need to be confident that personnel, processes, and conditions do not introduce a food safety concern as raw materials are received, transferred, stored, transported, manipulated, or processed to deliver a final product. The Operational Methods and Personnel Practices Standards show how a facility can prevent people and processes from contaminating a product.

2. Maintenance for Food Safety

   • Standards in this category are related to equipment, grounds, and structures. The design, construction, and maintenance of equipment and buildings are critical to providing and maintaining a food-safe environment. The Maintenance for Food Safety Standards provide best practices for optimizing the design and care of the facility and equipment so that they are easy to manage and do not create sanitation or food safety issues.

3. Cleaning Practices

   • Standards in this category are related to cleaning and sanitizing. The methods of cleaning and sanitizing, the types of chemicals used, the frequency of cleaning activities, and the control of microbes must all be done expertly to protect products from food safety issues. The Cleaning Practices Standards give cleaning guidelines to prevent contamination.

4. Integrated Pest Management

   • Standards in this category are related to pest management. While it is important to remove pests from a facility, it is more important to prevent pests from ever having the opportunity to thrive in a food environment. The Integrated Pest Management Standards give strategies for managing multiple approaches to ensure that pests do not adulterate food products.

5. Adequacy of Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs

   • Standards in this category are related to management and teamwork. It is important to have Programs in place, but if a Program is not formalized through designing, planning, management, documentation, and review, then Prerequisite Programs will depend on who is undertaking a given activity or task that day. The Adequacy Standards make sure that
     Prerequisite Programs are carefully designed and implemented to ensure consistency across the entire facility.

Description of the Document

The AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection of Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs is a collection of information gathered to help a reader understand:

• What an inspection is
• The difference between an inspection and an audit
• How to read and use the AIB International Consolidated Standards
• How an AIB International inspection is scored
• How to prepare for and participate in an AIB International inspection
• Additional sources for understanding, implementing, and expanding Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs

Design of the Document

The design of the document employs the following strategies to support ease of use:

• Consistent terminology used throughout the document
• Unambiguous language that can be globally understood
• Current-use language and not “regulation speak”
• Related content grouped in one location
• Standards constructed with the same hierarchy:
  1. Category
     • Standard
       • Requirement
• As much as possible, one item measured per Standard
• Meaningful phrases highlighted to support quick scanning

Benefits of an AIB Inspection

Adhering to AIB standards through an inspection process leads to the following benefits:

• Identify root causes, not just on symptoms
• Educate personnel through interaction with an inspector
• Identify, reduce, eliminate, and prevent food hazards in a facility
• Prevent expensive and damaging recalls
• Comply with government regulation
• Improve and maintain a healthy, sanitary environment for food handling
• Produce safe food products

Download, Read & Share: Standards related to Beverage, Food Packaging, Distribution, Fresh Cut, Packing House, Grain, Prerequisites & Retail Facilities…

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