Expanding Horizons: SGS North America Bolsters Food Safety and Quality Assurance Capabilities

In a strategic move to enhance its service offerings, SGS North America, a leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification company, has announced the expansion of its food safety and quality assurance testing capacity for the North American food, pet food, and nutraceutical markets. The company's relocation to a larger, state-of-the-art facility in Fairfield, New Jersey, signifies its commitment to providing its clients with cutting-edge testing services to ensure the safety and quality of products consumed by both humans and animals.

Safeguarding the North American Food Ecosystem

Ensuring the Integrity of the Food Supply Chain

The manufacturing and testing of products for human and animal consumption are critical components of the North American economy, providing people and animals with access to a diverse range of safe and reliable products. With food safety concerns on the rise among consumers, analytical services like those offered by SGS have become an essential part of the food testing landscape. By expanding its testing capacity, SGS aims to better serve its clients and contribute to the overall safety and quality of the North American food ecosystem.

Leveraging Decades of Expertise

SGS has been providing various testing services to the food and nutraceutical markets for over 35 years globally, and more than 27 years in North America. The company's extensive experience and expertise in this field have positioned it as a trusted partner for manufacturers and consumers alike. With a global network of 99,600 employees and over 2,600 offices worldwide, SGS is well-equipped to deliver comprehensive solutions to its clients.

Expanding the Laboratory Network

The company's existing network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited food laboratories in Carson, California; North Sioux City, South Dakota; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Burnaby, British Columbia, has been a cornerstone of its service offerings. With the recent capacity expansion, SGS will now be able to offer customers access to an even broader range of services throughout its extensive laboratory network, further enhancing its ability to meet the growing demand for food testing.

Serving the Epicenter of Food Manufacturing

The strategic location of the new facility in Fairfield, New Jersey, and the surrounding states, is particularly significant, as this region is considered one of the largest food manufacturing hubs in North America. Jodi Gubin-Jurgens, the head of food at SGS North America, expressed the company's enthusiasm for this expansion, stating, "With New Jersey and neighboring states being one of the largest food manufacturing hubs in North America, we are very pleased with our current success and look forward to utilizing a larger facility to further serve current and future clients with their food testing needs."

Comprehensive Testing Capabilities

The expanded testing capabilities at the new facility include rapid and traditional food pathogen testing with DNA and protein-based detection, environmental monitoring in production, including pathogen testing, and food hygiene and quality testing. These services are designed to provide clients with a comprehensive suite of solutions to ensure the safety and quality of their products.

Addressing the Needs of the Pet Food Industry

In addition to its focus on human food safety, SGS also offers specialized testing services for the pet food industry. The company's testing services aim to help improve efficiency and reduce risk in the pet food supply chain. This includes analysis of ingredients and finished products, inspection services to ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), audits and certifications for the Global Food Safety Initiative, and labeling services to reduce the risk of product rejection due to incorrect labeling.

Responding to Evolving Regulatory Landscape and Consumer Demands

The expansion of SGS North America's testing capacity is a direct response to the growing demand for food and wellness product testing, driven by factors such as evolving food safety regulations, including the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and an increased consumer demand for safe and high-quality products. Gubin-Jurgens emphasized the importance of this additional testing capacity in accommodating the increased quality assurance testing needs of SGS's clients, who rely on the company's rapid turnaround times and trustworthy results.