Prepare Your Team for SQF Edition 10 with Rootwurks

SQF Edition 10 includes a strong emphasis on food safety culture and the formulation of a documented food safety culture assessment plan with measurable benchmarks. Other key updates include strict documentation procedures for change management, the implementation of a risk-based environmental monitoring program, cybersecurity measures to bolster food defense, enhanced recall and crisis management protocols, rigid training and competency assessments, and the reintroduction of a requirement for documented internal pre-audits prior to certification. 

The SQF Institute published the new guidelines on March 2nd. The SQF Institute has stated that audits under the new edition 10 guidelines are expected to begin on January 2, 2027. 

Under Edition 10, companies will need to provide clear documentation of a written food safety culture assessment plan, including procedures for assessing and improving culture. The plan must include measurable objectives, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals, performance benchmarks, and follow-ups to be carried out at least every three months.

Companies must also develop strategies for driving two-way communication between management and employees and include space for employee feedback and engagement. In addition, they must develop comprehensive training for all personnel, including management. 

Edition 10 includes scoring and methodology changes that the SQF Institute states are designed to make Edition 10 more risk-focused and improvement-oriented.

Instead of focusing solely on a numerical score, SQF 10 auditing will look at the type and severity of non-conformances and will focus on clauses that are fundamental to food safety (such as management commitment, sanitation, approved supplier programs, and allergen management, among others). Auditors will emphasize the most critical risk areas, providing a clearer assessment of a site’s food safety culture, the SQF Institute states. 

The SQF Institute has published an explanation of these changes here. 

According to the SQF Institute, the change management updates represent "a proactive approach that helps prevent potential risks before they escalate, potentially reducing recall incidents.”

For Edition 10, companies will need to develop and implement a written change management procedure and extensive recordkeeping for any changes affecting formulations, ingredients, food safety plans, equipment, processes, personnel, or suppliers. They will also need to document training, risk analysis, and any updates to their HACCP plan.

As Rootwurks Consulting Expert Instructor and Peak Advisors CEO Jeff Chilton said, "you have to look at what in your process is changing. Are you getting new equipment, or handling a new raw ingredient or material? You need to think about what in the process is changing and the implications of that process for your people, and if all the people who are involved in that process know what they need to do.”

Environmental Monitoring Programs are essential for developing a "seek and destroy" approach to contaminants in the production process.

Under SQF 10, sites must perform a risk-based environmental assessment as part of a well-documented environmental monitoring program. The assessment will determine the types of pathogens or indicator organisms to test for, define the frequency of testing, the quantity of sites to be sampled, and the time of testing. 

This update requires dropping a one-size-fits-all approach to EMP. It mandates developing a system built around the specific product risks and the hazards that exist at a facility.

Under SQF Edition 10, companies must perform comprehensive training for all personnel, including management.

It also requires implementing assessments for employee training and competency. These must be well-documented, role-specific, and updated periodically to stay current with updates in workplace demands and any change management issues affecting the facility. 

SQF Edition 10 puts a big emphasis on documentation and the recording of safety training and processes. Digital recordkeeping that is easily updated and accessed is key for this requirement. For SQF Edition 10 employee training and food safety culture demands, checklists and templates that guide your team through SOPs can provide critical assistance, helping stay organized and on top of these often challenging demands. A platform that manages internal auditing will make it easier to perform the pre-audit demand of SQF Edition 10 and to track and highlight areas for improvement. Expert-designed courseware can help employees train in the key guidelines for SQF Edition 10 and food safety culture and boost retention.

Companies should also utilize training platforms that allow for employee feedback and engagement, and two-way communication, both top down from management and back up from employees. The training platform and the workplace must also track employee performance on key food safety and training objectives.  

In addition, prior to SQF going into effect, companies may consider hiring an outside consultant to assess their facilities and how they adhere to the demands of Edition 10.