Are Your Medible Edibles Safe? Probably not....

Food Safety is Not Intuitive …

Food safety and how it relates to the creation of food products is a scientific field that requires training in food science, food microbiology as well as a comprehensive understanding of food manufacturing rules and regulations. In the U.S. our food supply is monitored by federal agencies like Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These organizations have federal inspectors who are trained to seek out and correct manufacturing violations. Federal inspectors ensure that meat facilities have Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point” (HACCP) plans and manufacturing plants follow “Good Manufacturing Practices” (GMP’s) they also look at temperature charts, pH of finished product and in house allergen programs.

Unfortunately these organizations are not inspecting facilities making marijuana infused food products (MIF’s) because while it may be somewhat legal to make them in certain states (Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Colorado) it is still illegal on the federal level. Thus neither the FDA nor USDA has jurisdiction over its production, so the state has to pick up that slack, but are they? The level of inspection of attention to MIF facilities varies from state to state and there are “underground” MIF’s that are not even on the local inspectors radar.

You, the MIF maker needs to be prepared for the day when our federal government legalizes the sale and distribution of Marijuana and Marijuana infused food products. You should develop and create your products as if an FDA inspector is looking over your shoulder and inspecting your facility on a daily basis. This means implementing HACCP plans, setting up SOP’s, following GMP’s and properly labeling your food products with ingredient and allergen statements.

As a serious advocate of both food safety and of our federal agencies used to validate safe food processes, I can only hope that MIF makers create food products that are stable at room temperature, do not require refrigeration or contain meat. These are foods that typically are ok to make under many states local cottage food industry laws and include items like cookies, candy and other “bake sale” type items. It goes without saying that All MIF food products should be inspected by your local state health department whenever possible and sold in accordance with your state regulations.

In order to engage in any type of food manufacturing you must first understand how the industry and all its peculiar categories are structured, how to decipher the language that people in the field use, and how to avoid the pitfalls that newcomers frequently encounter. Do your diligence and research the food safety aspects related to your food product category.

To learn more about food safety, you can download my book at www.theintrepidculinologist.com