Powered by Icicle Kosher Check brings traditional Kosher and science-based food safety together

Nov. 26, 2013 - PRLog -- Apart from their appeal to Jewish consumers, Kosher foods are embraced by a diverse community world-wide. Studies have shown part of that broad appeal is due to the fact that a large segment of Jewish and non-Jewish consumers alike, buy Kosher certified foods based on their belief that they are manufactured to superior standards of food-safety.

Today Kosher certified products are one of the fastest growing segments of the food industry, with annual sales exceeding $200 billion in North America.  This hard-won public confidence has inspired a prominent Rabbi in Vancouver, Canada, to launch an innovative Kosher food certification program named 'Kosher Check.' This new Kosher standard will incorporate, for the first time in history, enhanced food-safety protocol as a principal requirement. According to Rabbi Avraham Feigelstock, Kosher Check has been designed specifically to inform consumers that the products it certifies not only meet strict Kosher standards, but also, that the manufacturers of such foods have warranted that their operational activities conform to enhanced food-safety protocols.

The Rabbi said the existing Kosher certification program, BC Kosher, has been using client contracts for many years that require commitments by Kosher certified manufacturers that they comply with all applicable government food-safety regulations. "Under Kosher Check," he said, "Approval will be predicated on food manufacturers giving clear assurances they are operating to additional, elevated standards for food-safety - over and above those food regulations mandated by government authorities."

Among the food-safety programs considered benchmarks for Kosher Check are those regarded 'best-practice' by quality assurance authorities and food professionals, world-wide. They include the HACCP program (Hazard Awareness Critical Control Points) as well as GFSI (Global Food Standard Initiative), FSSC 22000 (Foundation for Food Safety Certification) and BRC (British Retail Council), among others.

"Certainly, Kosher Check is intended to be value-added for consumers," said Rabbi Feigelstock, "Since it will provide them extra assurance concerning food-safety," He said benefits will accrue to others, "Like product brand owners and grocery retailers, since both can expect to profit from incremental sales as Kosher Check achieves greater awareness among consumers."

Kosher Check is powered by Icicle to manage all their Kosher products, ingredients, and processes. Using the same interfaces, they can opt-in to manage their HACCP-compliant food safety programs as well, saving time and effort when managing both types of certification.

About Burton Software and Cloud-based Icicle HACCP Solution:

Steven Burton is the founder of Burton Software Inc., (www.BurtonSoftware.com) which offers the first affordable cloud-based solution to improve the safety of the world's food supply.  Icicle, the flagship technology enables companies involved in the production, processing, and distribution of food products to develop and verify food safety plans. Icicle is the HACCP solution that improves the quality and safety of products by developing tools that manage food safety plans, document procedures, and carry out inspections.  Icicle provides the technology necessary to collect the required data and then automatically generates food safety plans. Changes to individual ingredients, materials, processes or packaging are automatically propagated throughout the system, insuring that plans are kept current across product lines and plants.

Follow Burton Software on Twitter@icicleBsafe.

Burton Software Inc.

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Steven Burton

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800-299-8955