HPP toller Stay Fresh Foods has earned SQF (Safe Quality Food) Level 3 Certification for its two facilities, in Meriden, Conn., and Pennsauken, N.J. The SQF 3 rating, the most stringent awarded by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), signifies that “robust food safety control systems have been effectively implemented” at both sites, where all phases of operation are “properly validated and show evidence of continuous monitoring procedures,” according to the Institute.

“Our customers choose high pressure processing to enhance safety, extend shelf life, and enable the move to ‘free-from,’ all-natural products,” says Stay Fresh Foods Managing Director Amy Lawless. “SQF 3 certification is a further step to assure them that, when working with us, they will benefit from the highest recognized standards of both safety and quality.”

Launched in 2013 by a team of food manufacturing veterans who immediately understood the advantages of HPP as a non-thermal lethality treatment, Stay Fresh Foods continues to keep pace with the explosive demand for the post-packaging technology. Six months after start-up, the early adopter ordered a second AV-30 HPP system. In 2015 the company opened a second facility, equipped with the high-capacity AV-60, in Pennsauken, 10 miles from Philadelphia. Most recently, the Meriden site inaugurated a second beverage co-packing line that includes blending tanks, large-scale cold brew capacity, rotary filling, and labeling.

The Level 3 designation exceeds certified HACCP food safety plans by calling for “a comprehensive implementation of safety and quality management systems,” according to SQFI.

“It takes a skilled, cohesive team to meet these standards,” says Lawless. “SQF 3 is a tribute to the commitment of our entire workforce to maintain a food-safe environment where we constantly monitor, validate, and improve our processes.”

Source: Stay Fresh Foods LLC