The globally recognized AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspections have been updated to incorporate the latest industry best practices, new regulations, and food safety requirements. The updated consolidated standards will be released on July 25, 2022, and inspections against this updated version will begin January 1, 2023.

Major updates include moving written programs to the Adequacy section; dividing the Food Safety Programs standard into two separate standards for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC); expanding the Food Defense standard to provide more guidance for a program that can be applied globally; and creating a separate Regulated Food Defense standard to meet the U.S. Intentional Adulteration requirements.

“Our Consolidated Standards for Inspections were originally launched in 1956, and they quickly became the global industry standard due to their unique way of integrating, in a user-friendly, easy-to-understand format, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), common regulatory requirements, and food safety practices. There is no other document on the market that provides the type of prescriptive guidance the way we do,” said Steve Robert, global vice president of sales, marketing, and product innovation at AIB International.

AIB International initially developed the Consolidated Standards for Inspections under the title of the Prerequisite and Food Safety Programs for the food industry. We then tailored those standards to meet the requirements for an additional eight different industry segments in the food supply chain. “By doing so, we provide each business sector with only relevant and valuable information related to their specific business,” added Robert.

In 2022, as part of AIB International’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of the food supply chain, the company invested time and resources to update five of its Consolidated Standards, including the Consolidated Standards for Prerequisite & Food Safety Programs, Beverage Facilities, Non-Food Contact Packaging Manufacturing Facilities, Food Contact Packaging Manufacturing Facilities, and Food Distribution Centers. The remaining Consolidated Standards will be updated in 2023.

As part of the information and educational process, AIB International is holding free webinars in different time zones, private sessions, and general communications. As of July 25, 2022, a free copy of the updated Consolidated Standards for Inspections will be available for download here.

Customers interested in participating in AIB's free webinar can register for the North America session (July 28, 11 a.m. CT), the European, Middle East, and Africa session (July 25, 11 a.m. BTS), the Asia Pacific session (July 25, 2 p.m. SGT), or the Spanish session for Latin America (July 28, 12 p.m. CDMX).