To proactively prepare food importers and exporters throughout Latin America to meet FSMA requirements on the sanitary transportation of human and animal foods, The Cambridge Business Group (TCBG), Salem, N.H., can now certify members to the Sanitary Cold Chain’s TransCert (Transportation Certification) standards.

TCBG provides leadership and coordination among a Latin American network of food safety, quality, environment, occupational health and safety, laboratories and information security consultants, inspectors and auditors.

“The TransCert system requires transportation suppliers to meet management, HACCP, sanitation, temperature monitoring, traceability and training standards,” says Dr. John Ryan, president of Ryan Systems, Canyon Lake, Calif., and the Sanitary Cold Chain.

TransCert standards provide a solid foundation for FSMA compliance and help supply chain participants meet customer logistics requirements. Shippers, carriers and receivers working toward TransCert certification are expected to access their current transportation food safety systems, develop procedures and work instructions, train their personnel, prepare for an external transportation food safety audit and become TransCert certified. Certification allows participants to carry the “TransCert Certified” logo on reefers, containers and other food carrying containers.

“By using the TransCert ‘Container Checklist,’ any company or a TransCert auditor can help shippers to establish baseline data that provides a preliminary needs assessment,” says Ryan.

TransCert also established an online library of self-paced training modules to help clients pass the certification audit. External auditor certification training is provided in English and Spanish. Training attendees receive a certificate for inclusion in their training documentation. The Sanitary Cold Chain also provides sample forms, logs and checklists as well as document control system guidance materials to Sanitary Cold Chain members.