Why Your Food Safety Software Needs Laboratory Management

With Laboratory Management, respond to incidents, improve safety, and feel confident during audits through integrated organization and real-time safety alerts.

Icicle’s Laboratory Management feature helps companies achieve a higher level of compliance and confidence with their food safety programs. Every food producer needs to conduct testing to detect pathogenic bacteria on surfaces, test air and water, etc. As both a powerful tool to strengthen food safety programs and a comprehensive record management system that supports companies during audits, Icicle uses customized templates, barcodes, and integrations with testing labs to deliver near real-time safety alerts and trending reports.

Every new piece of Icicle compliments something that came before it. This new feature fills a gap; previously, you could record test results against products in terms of quality or processes, but you didn’t have the ability to do the kind of sophisticated testing you find in laboratory management systems. Because of Icicle’s philosophy of organic growth and customer relationships, the new robust laboratory management feature responds directly to the challenges of today’s food industry.

The Advantage of Icicle’s Laboratory Management

Unlike software that deals only with laboratory management, Icicle’s Laboratory Management feature doesn’t stand alone. Icicle goes beyond the mere organization of test results and integrates all relevant databases  (hazard analysis, HACCP plans, employee training certifications, and more) to provide unparalleled traceability and powerful trending capabilities. No laborious manual transcribing of numbers necessary, transforming tasks that used to take days into minutes.

Icicle’s user-friendly incident management system enables workers to react efficiently and effectively by providing clear corrective actions in any situation. Unlike many laboratory management software systems, Icicle is geared specifically toward food production facilities. Typical laboratory management software systems are meant for actual laboratory facilities. They have the capability to create tests and process the sample results, but they also make generating work orders and invoices to charge customers for tests a big part of the process – pieces that a food production company doesn’t need but still pays for.

Icicle’s Laboratory Management feature creates tests, ensures they’re effectively collected and that results are properly recorded, then compiles an audit history including the who, where, and when of collection. Taking it even further, Icicle’s system alerts users of positive tests, helps launch an incident and take corrective action as well as helping perform root cause analysis. The integration with hazard controls makes proper preventative measures clear. Icicle does all of this while creating a straightforward record to take the stress out of audits.

Customize Templates

Food companies can create templates specifying what needs to be measured, acceptable levels for each parameter and where samples are collected in the facility. Users can then use the template to create an actual lab test, which is then prepopulated with all the information from the template so that employees know exactly which samples should be taken where. The results of the test can then be recorded in the system. This approach to lab testing makes sure that testing is done right the first time and every time – and standardized testing so you can use the data for trending.

Eliminate Human Error with Barcodes

Now that the templates are all set up, when they are in use, you can track who collected the sample, when and where it was taken, all with an identifier and barcode label created specifically for each sample. Employees and the lab can use scanners, tablets, and their mobile phones to reduce the chance of human error in transcription. As a useful bonus, Icicle also creates an easily referenced auditing trail.

Get Laboratory Test Results Immediately

Grant the lab online access to your Icicle test records and they can scan your barcode to automatically retrieve the correct sample record. The minute they’ve entered the result you see the result – no more waiting days for emailed reports.

Respond to Hazards with Confidence

Icicle’s innovative use of IoT technology allows you to proactively launch an incident response and take the timely measures necessary to protect your company from the expense and brand damage of a recall.

The seamless integration of laboratory management with Icicle’s other features helps you to stay on top of relevant information like employee retraining records and supports you during audits.

Tap into Powerful Trending Capabilities

Old manual systems of tracking test results over time often include laborious manual transcriptions into spreadsheets. With Icicle, at any point in time, you can generate trending reports, allowing you to see problems coming before they happen and, during a crisis, you can monitor your improvement.

With more and more food companies choosing Icicle every day, the trends in food safety extend beyond an individual company to encompass food production worldwide. Data indicating which food safety measures have better efficacy in preventing food-borne illnesses will allow food producers to make better judgment calls for their own facilities.

What are you waiting for? Explore Icicle’s Laboratory Management feature and see the difference it can make in your company’s future. Request a free demo today.