Posted by Rita Mu
US-based manufacturer of specialty starches, National Starch, has received certification by one of the world’s most stringent food safety and quality standards for its facility in Sydney, New South Wales.
The certification from the British Retailers Consortium (BRC) is part of the Global Food Safety Initiative, a collaborative safety and quality effort by some of the world’s leading food safety experts from the retail, manufacturing, and food service sectors.
National Starch said it began improving aspects of employee and food safety shortly after acquiring the Sydney grain wet milling and manufacturing facility from ingredients manufacturer, Penford, last year.
Operations Manager, Thomas Henriksen, said the company conducted significant upgrades to employees’ facilities at its new Sydney plant, and enhanced training in food safety and hygiene, to achieve the certification from BRC.
“Involving all employees in the process, we systematically changed the way of working, attitudes and the way of thinking around the site,” Henriksen said. “It wasn’t just about spending money; it was about working as a team and coming together, planning and driving the plan.”
National Starch achieved an "A" grade rating in the BRC audit in November 2010. The company said the certification is essential to ensuring ongoing supply for Australian and Japanese customers.