Qiang Zheng, Melville Candy Company's food safety and quality assurance manager, credits the Certified SQF Practitioner credential -- offered by the Safe Quality Food Institute and administered by Exemplar Global -- as key to not only advancing his career, but to setting practitioners apart and preparing them for evolving food safety challenges. "This credential has allowed me to validate my knowledge," Zheng said. "As one of the first to obtain this credential, I feel that it has allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the SQF system as a whole."

University of Georgia researchers have identified colistin-resistance genes in bacteria from imported shrimp and scallops in Atlanta. Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic, and the genes can transfer between bacteria via plasmids, raising concerns about the global spread of antimicrobial resistance. The study, published in mSphere, indicates imported seafood as a potential AMR pathway. The World Health Organization has classified colistin as a critically important antibiotic, and it has warned that AMR is a major global health threat.

Tyson Foods will invest $23.5 million to upgrade and expand its facility in Robards, Ky., to increase capacity and product diversity, with work set to begin this year and complete in the spring. The project is designed to meet growing protein demand and demonstrate the company's long-term commitment to the region and the state's agricultural sector.

Danone has acquired The Akkermansia Company, a Belgian biotics firm known for the Akkermansia muciniphila MucT strain, which supports gut health by reinforcing the gut barrier and reducing inflammation. The acquisition aligns with Danone's strategy to expand its Essential Dairy and Plant-Based portfolio and geographic footprint.

Windfall Bio has completed a pilot project with Straus Family Creamery and Correia Family Dairy in Petaluma, Calif., using a nature-based solution to capture methane and convert it into organic fertilizer. The bioreactor consumed more than 85% of methane from manure without external energy, demonstrating potential for significant methane reduction and economic benefits for dairy farmers.

International Flavors & Fragrances has introduced Choozit Lift, a culture designed to improve sustainability in the production of semi-hard cheese by eliminating the need for water-intensive curd washing. The process uses specialized bacterial strains to control acidity and flavor, maintaining cheese quality, simplifying the process and naturally reducing lactose levels in whey.

SQF Fundamentals Global Markets Certification for Primary Production, Food and Packaging and Storage and Distribution operations. Choose from Basic GMP-based or HACCP-based Intermediate level. SQF Fundamentals Global Markets Certification gets you on your way to grow your business and prepare for GFSI benchmarked SQF Food Safety Code Certification in the future!

Looking for classroom SQF Training? See your options: Implementing SQF Systems Course, Implementing the SQF Quality Code, Advanced SQF Practitioner Course, Auditing SQF Systems Course Auditing the SQF Code Requirements Course.