For food and beverage processors, enhancing and refining food safety practices not only boosts consumer trust but also opens the door to new markets and growth opportunities. Enwave, a BC-based company that uses vacuum microwave technology known as REV™ to preserve food, took steps to enhance their food safety through funding received from the Food Safety Program.
The Food Safety Program provides cost-shared funding to BC processors looking to improve food safety systems and practices. The implementation of these systems and practices enables the BC agriculture and food sector to meet existing and new national and international food safety regulatory requirements.
Enwave took several steps towards food safety, the first being a new fully functional lunchroom within the facility. Caldo du Monde, General Manager at Ewave noted that the new lunchroom “has led to improved productivity and a more cohesive workflow. Importantly, the addition of the lunchroom also ensured that the facility remained compliant with the Good Manufacturing Practice requirement for Staff Amenities, which is a critical component of food safety regulations.” The addition of the lunchroom had a significant positive impact on daily operations.
Enwave also used the funding to ensure that critical equipment related to Critical Control Points (CCP) remained operational and validated. Regular maintenance and validation of CCP equipment is essential for food safety, as it ensures that the drying process is both effective and compliant with industry standards.
Beyond infrastructure improvements, the funding supported training programs for staff, focusing on enhancing their understanding of food safety standards and practices.
“The lessons learned throughout this process have reinforced the importance of proactive investment in both employee well-being and food safety infrastructure,” said du Monde. “Enwave has emerged stronger and better equipped to meet the growing demands of the industry, thanks in large part to the support provided by the Food Safety Funding.”
The infrastructure upgrades and trainings allow Enwave to continue to enhance their Food Safety protocols and enable them to increase daily operational efficiency. With the support of FSP funding, Enwave is taking the steps to increase their adoption of food safety systems as a post-farm business.
Funding for the Food Safety Program is provided by provided by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
