Keeping Your Food Safe

 Of all the environmental and heath issues, food safety commands the most urgent attention from authorities when regulations are found to have been broken. Recently in China, there have been several food safety scandals resulting in huge financial losses and reputation damage to the country and its food exporting sector. The climax occurred in July 2007 when it was announced that the former head of the State Food and Drug Administration, Zheng Xiaoyu, accepted bribes in exchange for issuing state food product safety licenses. He was subsequently executed in accordance with China's tough official stance on corruption. Prior to this, there had been a number of scandals involving the food sector. Jinhua Ham was found to have been treated with a poisonous pesticide before sale (2003); the production of counterfeit baby food formula which led to the death of around 80 babies hundreds of cases of severe malnutrition in 2004; and most recently in 2008, contaminated baby formula produced by the Sanlu Group led to an occurrence of kidney disease with numerous casualties.

The fact that the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (set up in 2003 to take control of food safety issues) was itself the target of investigation for corruption has led to a resurgence in the uptake of third-party audited standards for food safety in the country. Foreign importers from China do not trust Chinese national standards and are demanding exporters adhere to international standards such as ISO 22000 inspected by global certification bodies. Similar incidents have occurred in Japan, most notably with the Snow Brand dairy company, which was found to have falsified food safety records in the wake of a tainted milk products scandal in 2002.

Most nations have a government authority to manage those issues from production to sale to consumers. They advise on national legislation and deliver food safety requirements for home-produced and imported goods. These include the Food Standards Authority in the UK, the US Food and Drug Administration, as well as the State Food and Drug Administration of China. At the EU level, the Eropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducts risk assessments on food safety in cooperation with national governments and provides independent advice and communication on current and emerging risks.

The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) guidelines published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization are a fundamental part of the important food safety standard being developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO), ISO 22000. There are seven HACCP principles that must be followed. These dictate that food producers must conduct a pre-production hazard analysis to identify and address biological, chemical or physical issues that make food unsafe for human consumption; establish good safety monitoring systems; and implement comprehensive documentation procedures. The application of HACCP principles and procedures are mandatory in the US for food products including meat, juice and seafood, and they are generally applied elsewhere as the basis for third-party food safety certification.

As shown by the China examples, Food Safety certification is absolutely critical for food retail and international trade. Without it producers and suppliers cannot sell their goods. There is significant business and reputation risk attached to how certification is obtained and it is advisable to get certified to well-recognized standards awarded by reputable third-party certification bodies.

Launched in 2005, the ISO 22000 is already one of the best recognized international food safety standards. It provides for food safety management systems for any organization, regardless of size, involved in any aspect of the food chain. To meet the standard an organization must demonstrate its ability to effectively control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe at the time of human consumption. It incorporates the HACCP principles outlined above.

Prior to the ISO standard, the BRC (British Rail Consortium) Global Standard for Food Safetywas established and is trusted by leading global retailers to deliver effective supply chain management and legal compliance. The Global Standard is part of a group of product safety standards, together enabling certification of the entire food supply chain, and was the first standard in the world to be approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI).

Formerly called EurepGAP, GLOBALGAP sets voluntary 'pre-farm-gate' standards for the certification of agricultural products and Good Agricultural Practices. Standards are awarded by approved third party certification bodies in over 75 countries. GLOBALGAP is a business-to-business label and is therefore not directly relevant to consumers.

Other leading standards, more on the ethical side of food production, are the US based Food Alliance Certification and SQF Certification https://www.teraviva.com.co/. Food Alliance Certification is given to North American sustainable food products that cover issues such as the humane treatment of animals and the exclusion of hormones, non-therapeutic antibiotics, GM crops or livestock and certain pesticides as well as soil and water protection at farm/ranch level.

SQF (Safe Quality Food) Certification is awarded by licensed certifiers globally and provides independent certification that a supplier's food safety and quality management system complies with international and domestic food safety regulations. SQF certifications have been awarded to thousands of companies operating in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America.

Dylan Tanner is an eco-entrepreneur and writer who founded the newsletters Asia and China Environmental Reviews and has been writing about environmental and social trends within a business context for fifteen years. His latest venture is a B2B directory of responsible and sustainable suppliers.

Fashion - Three Essential Looks For Men

Concerning the basic fashion "looks" and occasions, there are three that every man should know. These include business attire or "day" wear, weekend clothes or "casual", and, of course, evening or "night out" wear. You do not need a lot of money if you keep in mind some helpful tips. In more detail, the three basic looks, that every man should know, are:

At Work - The quintessential work look for any man is a classic, well-tailored suit. It screams professionalism, style and class. The suit has gone through many revisions over the years but it will never stop being a cornerstone of men's fashion. Probably the most important point to keep in mind when wearing a suit is to make sure that it fits properly. Suits are not items of clothing that you can purchase at a store and just throw on - there is nothing worse than seeing a man in suit with too long or short hems, or fits too loosely or tightly. It is very important to get it tailored to make sure that it hangs properly, fits well and most of all, makes the man wearing it look like a million bucks.

Relaxed Casual - Every man needs a great pair of jeans to hang out in for casual weekend errands and dates. Similar to a suit, the fit of a pair of jeans conveys a great deal about the man wearing them. The jeans should not be tight, nor should they be baggy; both of these looks were popular once upon a time, and now that time has passed. It is also important to keep in mind that every pair of jeans has a shelf life. Depending on how well a man takes care of his jeans, they can last years. But once non-stylish tears and holes make an appearance, it is definitely time to throw them away and invest in a new pair.

Night Out - Evening clothes should be different from business or casual attire, so you need a different "look" for social outings, whether romantic or friendly in nature. Dress shirts, dark toned slacks and comfortable loafers are pretty much standard for the semi-formal wear. Unless you are experienced in fashion styles, make sure you do not try anything avante garde, such as colors or styles that may not fit the occasion. Blazers and trench coats are best for cooler weather, stay away from coats that detract from the rest of your clothes. Looking good does not have to mean uncomfortable.

So, you are making the challenging change from college student to career oriented adult? You are ready to make your mark in the world however, if your clothing still reflects your teenage or early twenties style, you may not have the leg up you need to get your foot in the door with the big corporations.

A New Wardrobe, A New Style

You are an adult now, and it is time to dress like one. You don't necessarily need to wear the same type of clothing your father wears, unless your dad is George Clooney, but an updated look is necessary once you enter adulthood.

The first step in creating your new wardrobe is parting with those clothes that scream "teenager." You know the ones. Your ripped jeans, ironic t-shirts, frightfully decorated pants littered with skulls and dragons, and your ever-faithful baseball cap. All of these need to disappear if you want to create a whole new style.

When you have your closet clear of these items, it is time to begin building your new wardrobe. This new wardrobe needs to provide you with a way to express your identity, but must also be able to take you through whatever life brings your way. Here are few pieces of clothing that should be included as the foundation of a successful wardrobe.

Men's Suits - Every man should have at least one suit in his closet, preferably black. If you're serious about your new career, purchasing a quality, well tailored suit should be your number one priority. What if you are called in for an internship interview at a local corporate office or get wind of a lead right after graduation?

Trousers - A few pairs of nice looking stretch cotton or wool trousers are a must. These trousers are comfortable, can be worn for casual purposes, and work well with almost any type of sweater, polo, or button cuff shirt. They are perfect for meeting with new business contacts or stepping out for a few drinks on the weekend.

Shoes - You should own at least one pair of black leather dress shoes, such as oxfords. Black dress shoes work well with black, grey, and navy suits, but can also be worn with your semi-formal and casual clothing to dress them up a bit more.

Casual Shirts - At least one button down collar is needed to go with your trousers. You should also have a few other shirts as well like v-necks, crew shirts, and slip overs.

Dress Shirts - Keep at least three different button down dress shirts in your closet, and make sure one of them is white for your men's suits.

Tweed Jacket - When the occasion calls for more than a cotton crew shirt, but less than men's suits, try a tweed jacket. Tweed jackets are stylish, comfortable, and warm, perfect for those cool fall and winter nights.

Dress Socks - Whatever you do, don't forget to update your men's stocking collection https://topnewsreview.com/. Nothing can ruin a look quite like unsightly, thick black socks worn with your perfectly tailored men's suit. Purchase quality trouser stockings to complete your look.

If you are making the change from adolescence to adulthood, make sure your wardrobe gets an update as well with men's suits, the right shirts, trousers, shoes, and jackets.