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DEAR COLLEAGUES AND CLIENTS

20 May 2020 

Acceptance and hope 

During the next phase of lockdown easing, we learn to accept and deal with the reality of our situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean that we will be carefree and instantly happy. However, acceptance certainly can allow us to find a new way of performing our tasks and functioning in our current environment.

Perhaps we can even start to find joy again in the experience of living and you will once again anticipate some good times to come.

We are standing by to assist and bring you peace of mind wherever your food endeavours may take you.

Regards,
The FACTS team

The Chinese government has issued a new draft list of livestock that can be farmed for meat. This comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, suspected to have originated from wild animals in a wet market in Wuhan. The list of livestock permitted includes dietary staples such as pigs, cows, chickens and sheep, as well as “special livestock” such as alpacas, ostriches and certain species of deer. Not included are species suspected to have spread viruses to humans, such as pangolins, bats and civet cats.

Should other countries that trade in wildlife also be considering this, including South Africa?

Food safety hazards can be divided into an array of categories, depending on the nature of each hazard. They include biological, chemical, physical and allergenic hazards. Let’s take a closer look at each.

It is important at this time to question whether environmental testing for COVID-19 is a suitable approach for detecting the virus in your manufacturing or retail premises.

There are two potential reasons for testing surfaces in a food facility for COVID-19; to indirectly detect an infected individual, or to confirm the efficacy of cleaning procedures. In both cases surface testing is a poor substitute for other measures that could be used. 

Find out why, from a scientific point of view.

YES, FACTS is officially bringing the practical allergen management workshop to you with just a click of a button, you can register – it is that easy! There are limited spaces available, so make sure you secure your spot as soon as possible!

Registrations open on 25 May 2020

Please click below to find all the details on the workshop:

Popularity of international cuisines and healthy food items has led to a growing global demand for herbs and spices. Consumers are inspired by new spice blends and flavours, adding a wider variety of these commodities to their food than ever before. 

Imported products must meet several strict standards, creating a highly competitive market with equally competitive prices. The Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBU) outlines the requirements for exporting spices and herbs to Europe, which include (but are not limited to) the following:

These are unprecedented times, and we know you are working to find solutions in accordance to the Department of Labours’ COVID-19 occupational health and safety measures in workplaces.

We support those efforts and offer an opportunity for you to meet with us virtually.

If you would like us to arrange a virtual meeting with you, please email us at [email protected]