HACCP Plan Review and Assessment for Zya: Supporting Food Safety for a Novel Enzyme Ingredient
Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Dr Faour-Klingbeil was engaged by Zya Enzymes Ltd, a UK-based food-tech company developing a novel enzyme ingredient, , to review and assess the company’s HACCP plan. The engagement involved a systematic evaluation of the HACCP plan against Codex Alimentarius General Principles of Food Hygiene (CXC 1-1969), covering the hazard analysis, the determination of critical control points, critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and documentation. Particular attention was given to the hazards specific to enzyme production and the handling of a novel ingredient. As Zya is preparing to access the U.S. market, the assessment also considered the plan’s readiness to meet the requirements of a Food Safety Plan under the FDA’s 21 CFR Part 117, the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule. This included the identification of process, allergen, sanitation and supply-chain preventive controls, the recall plan, and the associated monitoring, corrective action, verification and recordkeeping requirements. Particular attention was given to the hazards specific to enzyme production and the handling of a novel ingredient. DFK delivered a detailed assessment report setting out areas for improvement, each supported by technical and regulatory justification and practical recommendations, giving Zya’s team a clear basis for strengthening its HACCP and Food Safety Plan. This project reflects DFK’s continued work with innovative and novel food companies, helping them build robust, science-based food safety systems as they move toward commercialisation. Interested in a HACCP plan review or food safety plan support for your novel ingredient? Contact us for a free consultation.
FSMA Gap Analysis for Wolf ButterBack: Strengthening the Food Safety Plan for U.S. Market Compliance
Friday, 26 June 2026
Dr Faour-Klingbeil was engaged by Wolf ButterBack KG, a leading bakery manufacturer based in Fürth, Germany, to conduct a comprehensive gap analysis in support of their alignment with U.S. FDA requirements under 21 CFR Part 117, the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule. The engagement was structured around an on-site audit day, during which DFK assessed the facility’s existing food safety programme against the regulatory requirements of a compliant Food Safety Plan, including hazard analysis, preventive controls, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification, recall plan and recordkeeping. Following the audit, DFK conducted a thorough review of the facility’s documentation, examining food safety plans, including their GMPs, sanitation, process, supplier and allergen preventive controls. The engagement concluded with the issuance of a detailed written report presenting areas for improvement, each accompanied by legal reference and the targeted, practical recommendations and solutions to support the facility’s path to full compliance. The report served as a structured roadmap for Wolf ButterBack’s quality team to prioritise and implement the necessary corrective actions. This project reflects DFK’s commitment to supporting food manufacturers in meeting U.S. regulatory requirements and bridging the gap between EU and private food safety standards and the specific demands of the FDA’s FSMA framework for export-ready operations. Interested in a FSMA compliance gap analysis for your facility? Contact DFK →
DFK Expands Support for Food Brewer’s Innovative Products
Thursday, 11 December 2025
Following a successful year of partnership, DFK is pleased to announce the extension of its collaboration with Food Brewer. Building on the progress and achievements of the past year, the renewed agreement expands our scope of support to include comprehensive regulatory compliance advisory services for Food Brewer’s cell-cultured and plant-based cocoa and coffee products. Under this extended scope, DFK will continue to provide specialized regulatory and quality assurance support, including guidance on documentation, HACCP plan enhancement, labeling compliance, and supplier verification systems. The service package also includes periodic regulatory updates and tailored advisory sessions to assist Food Brewer in navigating emerging regulatory landscapes for innovative food technologies. This collaboration reflects DFK’s ongoing commitment to supporting forward-thinking food companies in achieving compliance excellence and advancing sustainable, next-generation food solutions.
Pre-FDA Inspection Compliance Audit at August Storck KG: Strengthening Food Safety Plan
Thursday, 30 October 2025
DFK for Safe Food Environment was engaged by August Storck KG to conduct a pre-FDA inspection compliance audit at their chocolate manufacturing facility in Berlin, producing the Merci and Chouceur brands for the U.S. market. The two-day on-site audit, conducted in October 2025, assessed the facility’s Food Safety Plan (FSP) and supporting systems against the requirements of 21 CFR Part 117, the FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food rule with specific focus on the regulatory expectations applicable a product category that receives particular scrutiny during FDA inspections. The audit covered the facility’s hazard analysis documentation, preventive controls framework, sanitation programmes, allergen management, environmental pathogen controls, GMP practices, and supplier verification activities. Following the site visit, a detailed written compliance report was issued, identifying gaps and providing targeted, regulatory-referenced recommendations across key areas including: Each finding was accompanied by specific corrective guidance, regulatory references, and practical examples to support the facility’s inspection readiness and the long-term defensibility of their food safety system. This engagement reflects DFK’s deep expertise in FDA regulatory requirements, supporting European exporters in proactively closing compliance gaps before an FDA inspection occurs. Is your facility export-ready for FDA? Contact DFK to discuss a pre-inspection compliance audit tailored to your product and process.
BioCraft Achieves Key Milestone in cell-cultured animal food ingredients
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
DFK celebrates the collaboration with BioCraft and their achievements! they have been officially registered with Austrian authorities to handle ABP Category 3, marking a significant step forward in the production of cell-cultured animal food ingredients for pet food producers across the EU. Dr. Faour-Klingbeil has been consulted for supporting the BioCraft team to develop a robust HACCP plan tailored to the unique cell-cultured processes in pet food production. This has been an insightful journey, as HACCP in this innovative environment demands patience, adaptability, and a data-driven approach. Dr. Faour-Klingbeil takes great pride to have assisted BioCraft’s team in their dedication to ethical innovation and unwavering commitment to product safety.
USAID TRADE Project: Developing ToT Food Safety Training Curricula, and Training SMEs on Allergen maanagement, Food Safety Culture, US and EU Food Labeling for Export Readiness
Tuesday, 26 March 2024
As part of the Export Enhancement Program under the USAID TRADE project, in collaboration with the Food Export Council (FEC), DFK has been dedicated to supporting SMEs and key stakeholders by enhancing their knowledge and capabilities. This initiative, which began in September 2022, continued through multiple training sessions held on: The objective of these sessions was to train and build the capacity of industry delegates and trainers on the FDA requirements under the FSMA preventive controls rule key and topics essential for international trade compliance and food safety, including: This effort continued through 2024 with the development of Trainer of Trainers (ToT) guidance documents, including: Through this project, DFK is empowering SMEs with the critical knowledge and skills needed to meet international standards, fostering safer food products and enhancing export capabilities.
Customised Internal Training Course Development On the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls Rule.
Friday, 30 October 2020
This engagement marked the beginning of a continuing collaboration with August Storck KG. In 2025, DFK was further engaged to conduct a pre-FDA inspection compliance audit at the company’s Berlin chocolate manufacturing facility, reflecting Storck’s continued commitment to strengthening their food safety systems and maintaining alignment with U.S. FDA export requirements.
FSMA Preventive Controls Gap Analysis for Lallemand GmbH, Vienna
Sunday, 30 June 2019
DFK conducted a one-day FSMA gap analysis audit for Lallemand GmbH in Vienna, assessing the facility’s food safety systems against 21 CFR Part 117 requirements for yeast and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient production destined for the U.S. market
