[Viewpoint] The Peanut Problem

The town of Blakely, Ga., is reeling. Blakely is home to Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), the maker of peanut paste and other products that eventually made their way into hundreds of brands of cookies, cakes, candy bars and other items.

Some of those peanut products, though, were contaminated with Salmonella, according to the FDA, and have sickened more than 500 people in 43 states. Stephen Sundlof, director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said it was “one of the largest recalls we’ve ever had,” according to The Associated Press.

In response to the Salmonella outbreak, PCA recalled all the peanut products it produced since Jan. 1, 2007. Federal and state lawmakers have called for a criminal investigation of the company and possible violations at the plant. PCA has denied any wrongdoing.

Things don’t look good for PCA. How do they look for you and your plant? How much faith do you have in your suppliers and their quality assurance programs? How certain are you of your ability to track your product? Setting aside the considerable risk to human health, one must consider the economics. In an ever-tightening economy, plants can’t afford to make even the smallest mistakes.

When money gets tight, and budgets come under scrutiny and start to get cut, the QA department can fall just as easily as marketing or personnel. But in the face of shrinking profit margins and ever-increasing scrutiny from customers, the media and the government, quality assurance managers must invest in themselves and their departments if they are to weather this economic storm.

One of the best ways for that kind of investment is interacting with industry experts and peers to gain knowledge and exchange best practices. The upcoming Food Safety Summit this April in Washington, D.C., will include a focus on recalls, such as this recent Salmonella outbreak. (For more on the summit, check out the preview on page 40.) QA Staff Editor Lisa Lupo will also convene a session of industry experts on integrated sanitation programs, and how this approach can improve pest control in food plants.

In a tough economy, QA managers are forced to look at their balance sheets closely, and are burdened with the great task of seemingly squeezing water from a stone: Do more with less; do better with fewer people. Not everyone will make it through this recession. Plants will close and people will lose their jobs. But those QA managers who continue to invest in themselves and their departments — who make an effort to stay strong in lean times — will have positioned themselves well to succeed when the economy turns around. It isn’t what happens to you that defines your level of success, it’s how you respond to it. How will you respond?

The author is Assistant Editor of QA magazine.