Southshore was recently audited by AIB International, Inc. (American Institute of Baking) and awarded a Recognition Document for achieving high standards for Food Distribution Centers. This achievement of excellence was awarded in recognition of Southshore’s ability to meet and exceed AIB’s key requirements for keeping food products in a facility wholesome and safe. Along with Southshore’s ISO 9001:2008 certification, this AIB Recognition Document demonstrates Southshore’s ability and ongoing dedication to consistently provide products and services which enhance customer satisfaction and meet applicable regulatory requirements.

AIB standards focus on five categories: (1) operational methods and personnel practices, (2) maintenance for food safety, (3) cleaning practices, (4) integrated pest management and (5) adequacy of prerequisite and food safety programs. The auditor uses a three-step process to assess risk: (1) determine the most significant observation(s) in a category and assign a score range, (2) determine the severity of the most significant observation(s) and decide whether the initial score should be at the top or bottom of the score range assigned, (3) lower the initial score in 5 point increments for each additional observation if the assigned score is at the top of the score range. A Recognition Document is awarded to the facility when there is no category score less than or equal to 135, the total score is at least 700 and there are no unsatisfactory findings.

AIB International was founded as the American Institute of Baking in 1919 as a technology center for the North American baking industry. Its original mission was to “put science to work for the baker”. In 1948, AIB developed the Food Safety Education/Audit department to extend this commitment to the area of food safety. AIB’s basic theme has since widened to provide science, regulation and best practice-based programs, products and services to food and beverage production and handling facilities and their suppliers worldwide. Today, AIB audits over 10,000 facilities a year.