Gold Hills Nut almonds enhance the value of food products the world over. Food processors can buy Gold Hills almond products with the confidence that they will be using the best. The Dried Fruit Association of California has recognized the sanitation program at the facility for its excellence. The HACCP program provides an effective means of assuring food safety from harvest to consumption.

Gold Hills Nut Company's Quality and Safety Program is a multi-step program designed to support our commitment to produce almonds in a safe, responsible manner. The program consists of four main documents:

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) all of which play a part in the formation of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAACP) program.

Through the implementation of GAPs and GMPs, Gold Hills Nut Company assures customers worldwide of our commitment to offer safe, high-quality almonds.

• Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) provide guidelines to growers on how to minimize potential hazards during production and sources of potential contamination. Click here to download.

• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) define procedures to be used by handlers to allow almonds to be processed, packed and sold under sanitary conditions. Click here to download.

• Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) ensure a clean and sanitary environment in the facility. SSOPs refer to sanitary action taken during production to prevent contamination or adulteration. These practices or procedures are documented to validate that almonds or almond products safety was maintained during production. Click here to download.

Together, these three prerequisite programs, GAPs, GMPs and SSOPs, provide the framework for a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAACP) program.

• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAACP) is the final stage of an integrated, proactive food safety program designed to prevent contamination before it occurs. HAACP provides a systematic approach to identify, assess and control the risks of various hazards. The idea is to develop a plan that anticipates and identifies places in the production process, known as critical control points, where contaminants might be introduced or other food safety concerns can be identified. When critical limits are exceeded, corrective action is taken and documented. Click here to download.