What is a food safety management system?

A food safety management system is indeed best defined as a systematic approach to ensuring the safety of food products throughout their processing. This involves implementing controls and procedures at each step of the food production process, from sourcing ingredients to processing, storage, and distribution.

Such a system is designed to identify potential hazards, assess risks, and establish critical control points (CCPs) where intervention can prevent, eliminate, or reduce food safety risks to an acceptable level. By focusing on all stages of food handling, a food safety management system promotes consistency and reliability in food safety practices, ultimately ensuring that safe food reaches consumers.

The other choices do not encompass the full scope of a food safety management system. While random inspections, employee training, and food marketing can be components of a broader safety concern, they do not represent a comprehensive strategy aimed specifically at managing and controlling food safety risks throughout the entire food processing continuum.