[Practical QA Solutions] Food Protection

The food industry is committed to safe, wholesome foods backed by customer service; some companies better at it than others. Food quality systems are indeed being challenged taking on broader responsibility. Plants must take a holistic approach to food protection to truly succeed.

In a previous column I wrote that “the globalization of ingredients, import deliveries, border surveillance, production outsourcing, building deterioration and employee downsizing along with regulatory, i.e., FDA staff shortage, is creating a higher risk food supply.” This statement created some interesting discussion. We have just encountered the largest meat and possibly the largest food recall in the history of the United States. I recently watched on the morning news where a CEO testified at a recent congressional hearing that his company is making food safety the top priority. This column will elaborate on food protection — myth or fact. Myth is defined as a traditional story of historical events and fact is defined as something that has an actual existence. Today’s food protection is both myth and fact and more fact than myth.

DEFINING FOOD PROTECTION. What is food protection? Food protection is an overall shielding of food from harm, illness, injury, damage and/or destruction, even in a subtle or unexpected way. Management commitment, food safety (HACCP), pest management (Integrated Pest Management), sanitary design, employee practices/hygiene, cleaning and maintenance programs, supplier/raw material approval, food product storage/distribution and individual accountability to the end user are some food protection elements. Food quality systems have these elements. So why are we encountering more recalls?

The food industry is committed to safe, wholesome foods backed by customer service; some companies better at it than others. Food quality systems are indeed being challenged taking on broader responsibility. We are seeing a quicker to recall phenomenon possibly as a result of broader quality system responsibility, increasingly more knowledgeable customers, instant media coverage and overall liability protection. In numerous cases it is better to initiate a precautionary recall rather than deal with risks and potential consequences of inaction. Seemingly more recalls may point out the fact that our food supply is safer in the long run. Although recalls may protect consumers and the company’s good name (if the PR is handled properly), recalls are not a profitable venture.

HOW DO ASSURE FOOD PROTECTION. What is the answer to assure food protection —all the way to consumption? The answer begins with top management commitment setting a food protection culture as a real top priority backed with the human and financial resources at the corporate, plant and department levels, demonstrating a carry through on that priority. Companies must re-evaluate and implement food protection basics (GMPs) from suppliers all the way to the consumers. Assure the GMPs are in place before adding on food safety, pest management, etc. It frustrates me when I observe extensive HACCP programs in a food plant with pest (bird, insect, rodent) contamination of the finished product in the plant’s warehouse. Educate the GMPs, empower and enforce them throughout the organization including distribution to the retail network. Individuals who choose to violate the GMPs must be held accountable. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the GMPs fully implemented all along the way to the consumer’s home kitchen?

The author has more than 30 years in food quality assurance. He is a Certified Professional Instructor and can be reached through www.qualitycenteredconsulting.com or by calling 816/436-1627.

Auditor’s Soapbox
I expect customer service. Is that too much to ask? “Customers are not an interruption of our business — they are our business” is an old adage. I am seeing a customer no-service trend in my travels. More often I feel like I’m an interruption of a service provider’s day. There seem to be industries of customer no-service as evident with the airline industry. Keeping humans in confined spaces for hours at a time along with an increasing problem of missing luggage or items within are examples. Keeping humans in spaces for hours reminds me of another customer no-service industry — health care — evident with appointment malfunction by waiting in a room with sick people for preventive care for hours to say nothing about hospital emergency rooms. Please make a point to thank those customer service providers who accept individual responsibility and deliver good customer service. I hope you are one of them. Perhaps we can start a trend to change some customer no-service industries.