SAFETY AND SECURITY INFORMATION
Many of you may have read the recent newspaper articles regarding food safety and bioterrorism. You will be receiving from the Department of Public Health a Food Safety-Security Information Sheet. The Kentucky Food Safety Task Force has prepared a checklist to assist you in preparedness for food related bioterrorism.

Some of the items on the checklist include:
• Know your food distributor and require credentials for the same.
• Know your delivery drivers.
• Keep kitchen doors leading to the outside closed and locked.
• Employees should wear visible identification.
• Restrict personal items in food production/storage areas.
• All staff must remain alert to report signs of tampering to supervisor.
• Read food safety articles and share safety information with your co- workers.
• Know HACCP guidelines.
• Store products in designated areas and in original packaging.
Many members of our operations, purchasing and management staff,have been trained in HACCP-Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. This training includes hazard analysis; identification of critical control points; establishment of critical limits for each CCP; monitoring CCP requirements; data use to control processes effectively; corrective action, if necessary; record keeping; and verification. We are very proud to have instituted this 4 years ago without any sort of mandate. Our sole purpose was simply to insure the safety of our products and establish processes for continued safety.

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to take steps to protect the public from a threatened or actual terrorist attack on the U.S. food supply. The following links offer fact sheets, executive summaries and registration forms on the FDA's new Food Bioterrorism Regulations.

Registration of Food Facilities - Interim Rule

Prior Notice of Imported Food Shipments

Executive Summary

We want to assure you that Southern Foods deals with food safety on a daily basis. We make it a priority in our workplace. We realize the impact of preparedness and take our charge seriously. If we can be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let us know. We wholeheartedly agree with the Department for Public Health that you need to know your food distributor. We strongly suggest that you visit your food supplier on a regular basis and observe their food safety practices.