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Bolton Compliance Consultancy Group

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Bolton Compliance Consultancy Group

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We specialize in assisting companies in food and agriculture to comply with private and voluntary standards such as GLOBALG.A.P BRCGS, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, USDA National Organic Program, EU Organic and Rainforest Alliance

01/04/2026

Check out the latest April edition of the Zimpapers Agriculture Journal 🫛

12/03/2026

Superficial scald development in 'Cripps Red' Apples: Influence of Harvest Maturity, Chemical Pre-treatments and Storage Conditions

📝A recent study investigated how harvest maturity, chemical pre-treatments, and storage conditions influence scald development and apple quality in ‘Cripps Red’ apples

💵The study reports that in South Africa, a high incidence of superficial scald in ‘Cripps Red’ apples over the past three years has resulted in an estimated financial loss of approximately 4 million Rand annually.

🟩This significant loss underscores the economic impact of physiological disorders such as scald on producers and highlights the urgent need for improved postharvest management strategies to mitigate these issues and reduce economic damage.

📝The study recommends the following practices for farmers regarding ‘Cripps Red’ apples:

🍎Apples should be harvested at optimal maturity, approximately 19 weeks after full bloom, to achieve the best quality and minimize physiological disorders such as superficial scald.

⌬Application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) prior to cold storage effectively slows down ripening and reduces scald development. However, 1-MCP treatment may increase the incidence of leather blotch disorder, requiring monitoring during storage.

🧊When cold storage is not available, storing apples at ambient temperature (around 18 °C) is feasible for short durations, but apples should ideally be sold within about 4 weeks to maintain quality and reduce physiological disorders.

🔍Regular inspection for physiological disorders such as scald, leather blotch, and senescence scald is important, particularly as these disorders are influenced by harvest maturity, storage duration, and treatment.

🍎Fruit firmness and weight decline more rapidly during ambient storage compared to cold storage, underscoring the importance of appropriate harvest timing and storage environment to preserve fruit quality.

🗒Implementing these guidelines helps farmers, especially smallholders without access to cold storage, to manage apple quality and reduce postharvest losses, thereby improving marketability and income.

📝Full article: https://lnkd.in/eww7MFhT

14/11/2025

Zimbabwe citrus exports rise on expanding orchard investments 🍊🍋

Zimbabwe's citrus industry continues on an upward trajectory, supported by renewed investment and expanding production capacity.

According to data from ZimStats, citrus exports reached US$14.5 million between January and September 2025, compared to US$13 million over the same period last year.

Export volumes increased from 62 million kilograms to 68 million kilograms, a rise of 10 percent.

Find out more 👉🏾 https://www.freshplaza.com/europe/article/9784656/zimbabwe-citrus-exports-rise-on-expanding-orchard-investments/

📓Credit: Freshplaza

02/11/2025

Check out the November issue of the Zimpapers Agriculture Journal where we look Inside the Chinese blueberry market

🔑 Key issues to lookout for include:

Zimbabwe blueberry export by volumes
Chinese blueberry market trends
China blueberry protocol

29/09/2025

Today is the Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 🥦🍞🌭🍊
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✅‎Food loss and waste in numbers:
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🔶‎An estimated 13 percent of food – the equivalent of 1.25 billion tonnes – was lost globally after harvest and prior to reaching retail shelves in 2021 (FAO, 2023).
🔶‎An estimated 19 percent of food – the equivalent of 1.05 billion tonnes – was wasted in households, food service and retail in 2022 (UNEP, 2024).
🔶‎Households account for 60 percent of global food waste (UNEP, 2024).
🔶‎Approximately 28.9 percent of the global population – 2.33 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure in 2023 (FAO et al., 2024).
🔶‎One out of eleven people in the world faced hunger in 2023 (FAO et al., 2024).
🔶‎Food loss and waste generate 8 to 10 percent of global GHG emissions (IPCC, 2019).
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15/09/2025

How to reduce crop water requirements during dry spell induced drought stress. 🌱
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‎⛔Avoid the application of nitrate based fertilizers!
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‎🤔WHY?
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‎⬆️Absorption of nitrate greatly increases water requirements for nitrate metabolism and hydration.
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‎⚠️Excessive nitrate weakens cell membranes, increasing permeability and water loss.

‎⬇️ Reducing nitrate absorption can reduce daily water use by +30%.
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‎⚖️Electrolyte balance is essential!
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‎🔷Major electrolytes are: Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Chloride (Cl)
‎⬆️A ratio imbalance of these elements in plant sap will increase water requirements.
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‎🌱Nutrient imbalances in the root zone can reduce water absorption.

‎⚠️Potassium chloride (Muriate of potash) applications can create challenges.
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‎Science Driven Plant Nutrition®
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‎🕵️‍♂️Agent Green

09/09/2025

"What we have come to accept as 'normal' is plants which are photosynthesizing at only 25% of their inherent genetic capacity." John Kempf. This is a reality that we cannot deny and had been normalized. We have come to accept that plants cannot exceed the yield potential stipulated by the seed companies or plant breeders.

I remember discussing about butternut squash with a certain farmer that and showing him how a South African farmer achieved a yield of 97 tonnes per ha in 2022 because he applied science driven plant nutrition and optimized the soil biology. He was astonished since the on farm yields they are always getting are between 15-30 tonnes per ha and this what is mostly advised by most agric professionals.

This shows that we need a paradigm shift in our understanding of the relationship between plant nutrition, soil biology and plant physiology. A complete transformation is required in order to unlearn the inaccurate science that conditioned us to accept photosynthetic inefficiency as normal.

Like what one my favourite authors wrote "Agriculture should be advanced by scientific knowledge". Child Guidance page 355.5. It is in agreement with what the late Professor Sheunesu Mpepereki always said "Sainzi dzinofanirwa kubatsira vanhu" translated science must change people's lives.

Therefore, science driven approaches must drive agricultural innovation and technologies if we are to unlock it's potential to improve farmers' livelihoods, contribute to economic development and create employment.

Remember, agriculture is 99% science and 1% work.

03/09/2025

Check out the ZimPapers Agriculture Journal for insights on exporting butternut squash.

21/08/2025

Changes to Reconditioning Procedures for Organic Imports Without National Organic Program Import Certificate (NOPIC)
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‎Effective October 1️⃣, 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) is implementing a significant change that affects all certified organic shipments entering the United States. Organic importers should take note of the following update to ensure continued compliance.
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‎Reconditioning No Longer Permitted Without a Valid NOPIC
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‎Starting October 1️⃣, organic shipments arriving in the U.S. without a valid National Organic Program Import Certificate (NOPIC) will no longer be eligible for reconditioning. This marks a shift from previous procedures, where reconditioning was allowed under certain circumstances.
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‎Instead, shipments lacking a valid NOPIC must be handled through one of the following three options:
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‎1️⃣ Reexport
‎Importers may choose to reexport the shipment.
To comply:
‎♦️Retain a copy of the CBP 7512 form and Export Booking Confirmation
‎♦️Provide these documents to your certifier (if applicable) and USDA upon request
‎♦️Customs broker/filer must continue to use code 010-420-L within the ACE OR 2 message set
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‎2️⃣ Donation (Certified Importers Only)
‎Only certified importers may donate shipments labeled as organic that arrive without a valid NOPIC.
Requirements include:
‎♦️Donation must be made to a charity, nonprofit, or similar entity
‎♦️Maintain documentation of the donation in electronic format
‎♦️Provide documentation to your certifier and USDA upon request
‎♦️Customs broker/filer must use code 010-420-L within the ACE OR 2 message set
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‎3️⃣ Destruction
‎Importers may opt to destroy the shipment. To comply:
‎♦️Obtain an official CBP Certificate of Destruction
‎♦️Maintain the certificate in electronic format
‎♦️Provide it to USDA upon request
‎Certified importers must also submit the certificate to their certifier
‎♦️Customs broker/filer must use code 010-420-L within the ACE OR 2 message set
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‎What This Means for Your Business
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‎If you’re an organic importer or exporter, it is critical to ensure that every shipment arriving after October 1, 2025, is accompanied by a valid NOPIC. Failure to do so will result in mandatory reexport, donation (if eligible), or destruction—none of which allow for reconditioning.
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‎We encourage all importers to review their import procedures, coordinate closely with their Customs brokers, and confirm that NOPIC documentation is complete and accurate prior to shipment arrival.
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📙 Credit: Karlin Warner

13/08/2025

10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA, was signed into law on January 4, 2011 and gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new authority to regulate the U.S. food supply to better protect public health. Now that nearly all of the required dates of compliance for FSMA have passed, you should be confident that your food or beverage processing facility meets FSMA standards. But are you confident in how your pest control program supports your FSMA compliance?

Below are 10 frequently asked questions about the FSMA’s Preventive Controls for Human Food rule, third-party audits and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

1. What is FSMA, and what is the Preventive Controls for Human Food rule?

Congress enacted FSMA in response to dramatic changes in the global food system and our understanding of foodborne illnesses. Its goal is to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by encouraging a preventive rather than reactive approach to contamination.

FSMA’s Preventive Controls for Human Food rule is the product of the FDA’s outreach to industry and consumer groups, the agency’s federal, state, local and tribal regulatory counterparts, academia and other stakeholders. The rule highlights four key requirements that food manufacturing facilities must meet to be compliant with the FSMA.

2. What are the key requirements of FSMA’s Preventive Controls for Human Food rule?

Facilities must establish and implement a food safety system that includes an analysis of hazards and risk based preventive controls. A written food safety plan is required and must cover:

Hazard analysis

Risk-based preventive controls

Oversight and management of preventive controls, including monitoring, corrective actions and verification that the preventive controls are working

Supply chain program

Recall plan

The written food safety plan must address a Hazard Analysis and Risk Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) approach, rather than the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approach that many facilities have used for years.

3. What types of facilities are exempt from having to shift their approach from HACCP to HARPC as part of adjusting for FSMA?

There are six types of food facilities that are exempt from shifting their approach from HACCP to HARPC to comply with the final FSMA rule:

Food companies under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Companies that are subject to FDA’s new Standards for Produce Safety authorities

Facilities that are subject to and comply with FDA’s seafood and juice HACCP regulations

Low acid and acidified canned food processors

Companies defined as “small” or “very small” businesses

Companies with a previous 3-year average product value of less than $500,000

4. What is the difference between HACCP and HARPC?

HACCP is a global standard that was originally developed to ensure built-in quality and food safety. It evolved as an effective, efficient and comprehensive food safety management approach. The system addresses food safety through the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. The seven principles of HACCP include:

Conduct a hazard analysis

Identify critical control points

Set critical limits

Establish monitoring actions

Determine corrective actions

Develop verification procedures

Institute a recordkeeping system

HARPC is not a global standard but applies to almost all U.S. food processing facilities. It is an updated U.S. standard that was incorporated into FSMA in 2012. The process requires identification and prevention of all reasonably foreseeable food safety hazards — whether naturally occurring or unintentionally introduced into the facility. The seven requirements of HARPC include:

Identify hazards

Include risk-based preventive controls

Monitor effectiveness

Set corrective action

Verify effectiveness

Manage recordkeeping and documentation

Reanalysis every three years

5. Can an existing HACCP plan be used with modifications to adjust for HARPC

Certainly, a current HACCP program can be adjusted for HARPC with the help of a Preventive Control Qualified Individual. In fact, moving to HARPC from HACCP will be an easier shift than starting from scratch. The key adjustments that you would need to focus on include identifying risk-based preventive controls for determined hazards, which should be expanded to include both naturally occurring and unintentionally introduced hazards.

6. Which methodology should I use to analyze risks at my facility as part of the HARPC approach?

You should review the potential hazards — both seen and unseen — that could impact your facility to determine the risks that you should analyze for your plan. The potential hazards have expanded under HARPC in comparison to HACCP and include:

Biological, chemical, physical and radiological hazards

Natural toxins, pesticides, drug residues, decomposition, parasites, allergens and unapproved food and color additives

Naturally occurring hazards or unintentionally introduced hazards

Intentionally introduced hazards (including acts of terrorism)

From a pest management point of view, you should be analyzing the risks of what could encourage pests to enter your facility, such as doors left open or incoming product shipments

7. How often should Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and written food safety plans be reviewed?

IPM plans should be reviewed on an annual basis with your pest management provider to ensure your program remains as effective as possible.

Written food safety plans that follow the HARPC approach and comply with the FSMA rule should be reanalyzed whenever there is a significant change at the facility that might increase a known hazard or introduce a new one (such as change in process, change in product being produced, etc.), and every three years (if no other significant changes occur).

8. What is most critical for facility audit success?

Complete documentation of every single action at your facility related to food safety is essential for audit success, from potential risks to planned corrective actions to verification that the corrective action is effective. This comprehensive food safety documentation should include IPM documentation since the pest control portion of your audit can count for up to 20 percent of your total score.

9. Do I need to make sure my suppliers are compliant as well?

If the supplier is located in the United States, they are covered under the same FSMA rule and should meet the mandated food safety requirements. This will help ensure both you and your suppliers are meeting high quality levels.

Foreign producers of food or food ingredients imported to the U.S. must comply with a different portion of the FSMA program called the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) and are still subject to FDA inspections. It is recommended to ensure that your international suppliers meet food safety requirements as if they were a U.S. entity so they meet your quality standards.

10. How has FSMA improved safety of the food supply in general?

As one of the most in-depth food safety laws created in recent history, the law provides the FDA with new enforcement authorities designed to achieve higher rates of compliance in every aspect of the food industry with prevention- and risk-based food safety standards to better respond to and help contain problems when they do occur. Having a legislative mandate to require comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the food supply will help strengthen the food safety system and make the food supply safer going forward.

📙Credit: Orkin

05/08/2025

The International Organization for Standardization ISO has officially released updated versions of the ISO 22002 series of prerequisite program (PRP) standards in 2025.

These revised standards aim to enhance the implementation and consistency of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) across the global food supply chain.

🔑Key changes in the ISO 22002 series

🆕New: ISO 22002-100:2025 – general foundational standard for all sectors

The most notable innovation in this revision is the introduction of ISO 22002-100:2025. This new standard provides a generic foundation for all sector-specific standards within the ISO 22002 series.

It consolidates general requirements for PRPs (Prerequisite Programmes), such as:

🟩hygiene
🟩personal hygiene
🟩allergen management
🟩cleaning and disinfection
🟩traceability
🟩food defence

🚩Updated: ISO 22002-1 to -7:2025 – sector-specific guidelines

In addition to the new foundational standard, the sector-specific standards have also been updated to align with ISO 22002-100. These include additional requirements tailored to the specific working environments of different sectors.

The following standards have been revised or added:

📄ISO 22002-1:2025 – food manufacturing
📄ISO 22002-2:2025 – catering
📄ISO 22002-4:2025 – food packaging
📄ISO 22002-5:2025 – transport & storage
📄ISO 22002-6:2025 – animal feed production
📄ISO 22002-7:2025 – retail & wholesale (a new addition to the series)
📄ISO 22002-3:2011 – farming remains valid and is unchanged.

What Should Organizations Do Now?

☑️Clause 6.3 of ISO 22000:2018 – Planning of Changes – is the roadmap.

👇🏾Here’s the transition checklist:

🔷Gap Analysis: Map your existing PRPs against ISO 22002‑100 and sector-specific changes.
🔷Update Documentation: Consolidate shared PRPs into a single Part 100 reference; adjust SOPs.
🔷Train Teams: Deliver foundational ISO 22002‑100 sessions before diving into sector modules.
🔷Assign Responsibilities: Nominate leads for common PRPs versus sector‑specific compliance.
🔷Set Timelines: Plan implementation, internal verification, and audit readiness checkpoints.

01/08/2025

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) an estimated 13 percent of food the equivalent of 1.25 billion tonnes was lost globally after harvest and prior to reaching retail shelves in 2021.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimated that 19 percent of food the equivalent of 1.05 billion tonnes was wasted in households, food service and retail in 2022.

Additionally, households account for 60 percent of global food waste. FAO reported that approximately 28.9 percent of the global population – 2.33 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure in 2023. Furthermore, according to FAO one out of eleven people in the world faced hunger in 2023.

These alarming statistics require governments, private sector, industry professionals, policy makers, scientists, academia, researchers, industry professions, nongovernmental organizations and producers to become proactive in adopting cost effective and efficient postharvest management solutions and technologies to minimize food losses.

In this article published by the Zimpapers Agriculture Journal the focus is on ozone one of the most underrated yet cost-effective and eco-friendly food processing technology in the preservation of fruit and vegetables.

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3307 Crowhill
Harare
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Tuesday	08:00 - 17:00
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Friday	08:00 - 17:00
Sunday	08:00 - 17:00

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Bolton Food Safety Consultants

Food safety is a global concern in the Food and Agriculture Industries to protect consumers from exposure to chemical pesticide residues, heavy metal poisoning and food borne diseases such as diarrhoea, Hepatitis A among others. International export markets require farms and food companies to be compliant with food and agriculture standards in order to guarantee consumers that they are purchasing safe and high quality food produced under Good Agricultural Practice (G.A.P) or Good Manufacturing Practice (G.M.P). Food safety standards certification is a prerequisite for any farm, food company to export farm produce or processed foods into high value markets such as the EU, Canada, USA, Australia etc and earn foreign currency.

Bolton Food Safety Consultants is a multinational company in Zimbabwe that offers consultation and compliance services in a wide range of food safety standards: ✅GLOBALG.A.P. ✅BRCGS ✅FSSC 22000 ✅ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System ✅ECOCERT ✅FAIRTRADE ✅Tesco Nurture ✅Zim Organic Who can be certified? ✅Farms ✅Food Retail Companies ✅Feed Manufacturing Companies ✅Catering Services Companies ✅Food Packaging Companies ✅Hotels ✅Nurseries

✅For all your consulting services Contact Bolton Kudzai Kakava (Farm Assurer) on +263779579803 (app/call)