Sociedad Mexicana de Normalizacion y certificacion S.C., a consulting organization approved by the Mexican department of health, has agreed with PrimusLabs.com to jointly develop a food safety program and verification system for several areas in Mexico.

The program is based on PrimusLabs.com's Document Development Program, an interactive food safety manual available through its Web site for free.

Under the program, growers and food producers will prepare their own manuals, aided by references to U.S. standards and will then conduct self-evaluations, according to a news release.

PrimusLabs-trained auditors employed by Sociedad Mexicana, or Normex, will then conduct verifications of each growers performance. Program information and results will be displayed on a Web site developed for Normex by PrimusLabs.com.

Bob Stovicek, president of PrimusLabs.com, said the program allows PrimusLabs.com to lower the costs and increase the efficiencies of auditing food safety systems.

He said the goal is to assure even the most discriminating quality assurance and legal departments that an accurate audit took place in the correct location and that the results are made available in a timely manner.