SQF Gap Analysis Services
Our Services / SQF / Gap Analysis
What is Included in Our In-Depth Gap Analysis?
We conduct thorough SQF (Safe Quality Food) gap analyses tailored to your specific food products and operations. Our experienced team specializes in assessing compliance with SQF standards, FDA regulations, and USDA requirements, ensuring every aspect of your supply chain and manufacturing process meets industry best practices.
We customize each assessment to identify potential gaps in your food safety systems, from ingredient sourcing to distribution. Whether you're starting your certification journey or maintaining ongoing compliance, our detailed analysis provides clear insights and actionable recommendations to strengthen your programs.
Our goal is to simplify your path to certification, safeguard your brand, and ensure regulatory confidence through strategic guidance and expert support.
Our Approach to Continuous Improvement
Our services extend beyond delivering the initial gap report. We work closely with your team to create a customized, actionable plan that outlines specific steps for addressing identified gaps, implementing corrective actions, and enhancing your overall food safety systems. We offer guidance on prioritizing tasks, managing resources, and integrating best practices to ensure your improvements are practical and effective.
Additionally, our team remains available for follow-up assessments to confirm that corrective measures have been effectively implemented and that your systems continue to meet compliance standards. This ongoing support enables you to maintain regulatory compliance, improve operational efficiency, and foster a resilient food safety culture within your organization.
Preparation & Scoping
- Conduct an initial consultation to understand your business scope, product types, and specific regulatory requirements.
- Review your current food safety systems, policies, procedures, and documentation.
- Develop customized audit checklists aligned with SQF standards tailored to your operations.
On-Site or Virtual Data Collection
- On-Site Audit: Perform direct examinations of facilities, equipment, storage areas, and operational practices. Conduct interviews with key personnel and observe critical control points.
- Virtual Review: Conduct remote assessments through detailed document reviews, process walkthroughs via video conferencing, and photographic validation of critical areas.
System & Process Evaluation
- Management Commitment: Evaluate leadership involvement, employee training programs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Prerequisite Programs & HACCP: Verify sanitation practices, pest control procedures, supplier approval processes, and the implementation of HACCP plans.
- Operational Controls: Assess traceability systems, recall procedures, equipment calibration, and preventive maintenance.
- Recordkeeping & Documentation: Review the accuracy, retention, and accessibility of your records and documentation.
Identify Gaps & Non-Conformances
- Generate a detailed report highlighting deficiencies across each SQF standard element.
- Examples include inconsistent sanitation practices, incomplete training records, or gaps in vulnerability assessments.
Final Report & Recommendations
- communicate identified gaps supported by evidence.
- Provide prioritized remediation strategies, suggested timelines, and resource recommendations.
- Offer guidance to align your systems with regulatory standards and facilitate certification readiness.
Ensure Your Food Product Meets Regulatory Standards
Contact us for your free consultation today
Why is a Food Safety Gap Analysis Important?
Performing a gap analysis is a critical step in maintaining and improving your food safety systems. It helps you proactively identify weaknesses before an official inspection or certification audit, reducing the risk of non-compliance, product recalls, or regulatory penalties. Additionally, a gap analysis fosters continuous improvement, builds stakeholder confidence, and demonstrates your commitment to food safety excellence. Investing in this proactive approach today positions your business for success tomorrow.
Experienced Industry Experts
Our team brings decades of hands-on validation experience across multiple food sectors, including meat & poultry, baked goods, snack foods, beverages, and more.
Support & Continual Improvement
We provide guidance for ongoing validation activities, re-validation schedules, and performance monitoring to sustain food safety over time.
Detailed and Clear Documentation
Our validation reports and protocols are comprehensive, transparent, and designed to support your internal records, external audits, and regulatory inspections.
Regulatory & Certification-Ready
We tailor validation procedures to meet FDA, USDA, GFSI, and other relevant standards, ensuring your processes are audit-ready and certification compliant.
Our relationship doesn’t end once your programs are created. We offer ongoing support, help monitor performance, and review your systems periodically to identify areas for improvement, ensuring your food safety practices stay current and effective.
Why Partner with Points North Certified?
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