1 FIND YOUR PURPOSE IN THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY Are you a high school student trying to decide on your career path after graduation? FoodGrads is here to help you explore the Food & Beverage industry, and the variety of fulfilling careers available. We are on a mission to attract, guide and develop the next generation of Food & Beverage industry pros. Learn about careers in FOOD SAFETY and how important these are in keeping your food safe.
Quality Control Technician. ........................................................... 1 Quality Assurance Technician........................................................ 5 Food Auditor. ............................................................................... 9 HACCP Coordinator.................................................................... 13 Sanitation Worker....................................................................... 17 Food Safety Manager. ................................................................ 21 Regulatory Affairs Specialist....................................................... 25 Director of Food Safety.............................................................. 29 Food Labeling Specialist............................................................. 33 How It All Comes Together......................................................... 37 Our Education Partners. ............................................................. 39 TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOOD SAFETY - QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN 2 1 FOOD SAFETY Quality Control Technician Everyone has a favourite packaged product. One that delivers the same taste and texture every single time. Perhaps for you it’s crunchy cookie that always softens perfectly when you dunk it in milk. In the industry we say if a product meets or exceeds a customer’s expectations then it’s passed a series of quality controls. Quality control is a set of measures or steps that ensures a consistently good product. Quality attributes include size, colour, taste and bacterial counts. The professionals who check to see if products pass quality checks are known as Quality Control (QC) Technicians. However, in some smaller companies, a technician might take on the role’s of both QC and Quality Assurance due to limited staff. That’s why you might catch these professionals testing products in the morning and updating food safety plans in the afternoon. 1. Quality Control Technicians Ensure Food Quality and Safety The core of a QC’s job is making sure that products are being produced correctly according to company and governmental standards and regulations. They perform biological tests (e.g. Salmonella) and quality tests (e.g. sugar levels) at specified stages in the production process. If a product fails to pass a control point, the product is placed on hold and production of the product stops until a decision is made. QC technicians spend a lot of their time on the production floor verifying whether products are being made correctly. They complete checklists to confirm that food safety and regulatory compliance programs are being followed accordingly. A common quality control check verifying that best before dates are correctly being printed on food packaging. If a nonconformance occurs a QC will investigate what happened for this to happen, how to fix the problem and how to ensure it doesn’t happen in the future. Additionally, QC technicians perform internal audits – internal assessments that determine if a manufacturing facility is following food safety regulations. Assessments could include: • Checking if employees are following good manufacturing practices (GMPs). • Inspecting the building walls for cracks. • Verifying paperwork is being completed properly. Finally, QC technicians perform administrative duties such as maintaining records, forms and logs, including computer databases and inventory checks. 2. Quality Control Technicians Perform Lab Work To uphold the quality and safety of food, QC technicians conduct analytical, microbiological and sensory testing for both in-process and finished product samples. They use approved standard operating procedures (SOPs) and notify the quality supervisor of any deviations from the product specifications. For example, a QC technician working in a butter factory might be tasked with determining the fat content of a butter using the Gerber test. If they find that the butter has insufficient fat content, they tell the production manager to increase the amount of butter fat being used. Alternatively, aQC technician in a yogurt factory may check to see if Salmonella spp. is present in their product by completing a polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. 3. Quality Control Technicians Spend a Lot of Time on the Production Floor QC technicians assist production workers in detecting and solving problems in real time. By catching problems just as they occur, they prevent unnecessary time spent correcting Quality Control Technician Ensuring that products are upholding quality and food safety standards Veronica (the author of this book) has experienced firsthand what it is like to intern as a QC Technician at Gay Lea Foods. Click the photo to read the full story!
FOOD SAFETY - QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN - FOOD SAFETY 3 4 bigger problems that could have been avoided to begin with. Isn’t it the worst when you must go back and fix a mistake that could have been prevented in the first place? Generally, QCs have specified times to go out on the production line to inspect products. For example, some facilities require technician to check the weight of a product every hour to verify that the scales are working properly. If a technician notices an incorrectly produced product, they will inform the machine operator to perform appropriate changes. Another reason why QCs spend a lot of time on the production floor is because they perform internal audits. Audits are a mandatory part of any food safety program. 4. Quality Control Technicians Have Degrees in Science The traditional career path for someone looking to become a QC is achieving a bachelor’s degree in a program such as food science, chemistry or biology. However, there is a wide range of educational backgrounds within this field because the duties of a QC technician differ from company to company. Alternatively, some quality control technicians have college diploma’s specializing in a life science or laboratory science technician program. Other times, QC technicians may even start as production workers and take a lateral move to the QC department. However, in recent years, alternative routes have sprung up for students. Today, there are many colleges that offer certificates of achievement upon completing programs which prepare students for the role of quality control technicians. These programs help students develop knowledge and practical skills such as quality principles, standards and tools. 5. Quality Control Technicians Verify Standard Practices There are plenty of standardized practices which happen in food factories. It’s thanks to these standardized practices that you get the same crispy cookie every time. In this case a standard practice a QC may check is that the machine operator is adding the ingredients in the correct proportions and times. This could be by simple observation or by checking the documentation the operator is required to complete. Verifying standard practices isn’t just limited to keeping things clean. QCs also determine if products are made according to standard steps and staff are not skipping steps. QCs are always on the lookout for infractions! 6. Quality Control Technicians Assist in Investigating Customer Complaints Unfortunately, no matter how effective a quality program is, there will be situations when poor quality slips through. Mistakes happen. However, when these mistakes happen, customers notice and let the company know in the form of complaints. After receiving a complaint, a QC technician investigates the root cause of the complaint. For example, if a chocolate bar labeled with hazelnuts is found not to contain any hazelnuts the QC would investigate production records and check if there were any abnormalities during the day of production. Additionally, the QC will see if they have any saved retention samples from that day. Using all these tools, they find out if what the customer received was a one-off mistake or larger scale problem. 7. Quality Control Technicians Perform Swabbing However, one practice that happens in every single plant is cleaning (sanitation). Despite a workers best efforts to keep equipment they still need their cleaning to be verified. In this case, the verification would come in the form of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing kit. It is the job of the QC to verify that the equipment was correctly cleaned and passed the ATP test. QC technicians swab a place that made contact with food and place the swab into a device called a luminometer. This measures the combined total of organic material (food residues and microbial populations) collected from a swabbed surface. If the ATP tests finds a large presence of bacteria on a surface than operations must stop production and clean the surface. 8. Quality Control Technicians Have an Attention for Detail, can Multi-task and Communicate Effectively Being a quality control technician requires a range of skills. However, there are a few which are more essential than others. These skills include: • Attention to detail – It is essential that any QC is observant and detail-oriented. When it comes to safety, they need to ensure that every safety procedure is followed through properly, even the smallest of actions. Small details can mean the difference between food produced safely and products that need to be recalled. • Multitasking – QC technicians deal with more than one task at time because of the responsibilities of their job. For example, one way they might multitask is by conducting a 60-minute test and during the waiting time, they do a quick inspection of the floor. • Effective communication skills – This can come in the form of talking with people in person or in a detailed report. QCs effectively communicate with all levels of an organization from floor worker to upper management. University of Guelph is an Education Partner of ours, check them out on FoodGrads! Click their logo below! Available Programs: Biological Science, Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Honours Agriculture University of Guelph Photo by dusanpetkovic/iStock/GettyImagesPlus Photo by Morsa Images/DigitalVision/GettyImages ImageCredit: Iwawaki, Y.;Muraoka, Y.; Higashiyama, H.; Kishimoto, T.; Liu, L.; Goto, T.; Ichikawa, T. Comparison between Two Assessment Tests for Oral Hygiene: Adenosine Triphosphate + AdenosineMonophosphate Swab Test and Bacteria Number Counting by Dielectrophoretic Impedance Measurement. Dent. J. 2019, 7, 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj7010010 How can a QC tell that a piece of equipment is clean? The ATP + AMP swab test! For the following, refer to the image below: (a) The portable analysis device Lumitester, (b) The manufacturing equipment is wiped using a special cotton swab and placed in a special reaction tube (c) How much bacteria on the equipment is determined based on the “firefly principle”, in which ATP reacts with luciferin in the presence of luciferase to generate AMP and emits light. Using this ATP + AMP swab test, relative light emission (RLU) can be measured. The industry has a threshold of how much food can be on the surface of the equipment. Information and data collected from MDPI Open Access Journals. Hi! I’m Quinton, the FoodGrads Bot! For any questions please come visit me at FoodGrads.com!
FOOD SAFETY - QUALITY ASSURANCE TECHNICIAN 6 5 FOOD SAFETY Quality Assurance Technician For most of us when going on a trip like camping we plan ahead. We prepare for rain by brining a rain tarp or bring an extra set of blankets when we know it’s going to get cold. Quality assurance (QA) works the same way. They set standards and create plans that need to be followed if a product doesn’t meet a quality standard. For example, equipment must be properly cleaned between batches to prevent bacterial growth and allergen contamination. Though what happens if it is not cleaned properly? Not to worry because QA’s already have plan’s that state exactly what should be done in this set of circumstances. It’s because of these plans that we don’t see as many food related illnesses. These professionals have made it their job to secure food safety by developing quality/safety plans and ensure they are being followed. 1. Quality Assurance Technicians Uphold Food Safety Quality assurance technicians (QAs) ensure that the food we consume is safe and adheres to quality standards. They look to prevent mistakes or defects which could affect the integrity of food before production even begins. Quality assurance is a termused to describe the systematic effort taken to ensure that a product meets a set of standards and specifications. Mistakes are prevented in three main ways. Firstly, they work with operations, sanitation, research & development teams to determine what quality standards they want to uphold. This could include quality standards (ex. colour, weight or size) or they could be safety related (ex. how much bacteria is present in the sample or how equipment should be cleaned before or after a production run). QA’s are key members in the corporate risk management framework. Corporate risk management framework is a structure which is used to identify, analyze and respond to any risks and opportunities. The quality assurance department is responsible for identifying the safety risks inside the manufacturing plant, relaying the risks to corporate and making sure those issues are corrected. Secondly, depending on the size of a company a QA will conduct audits, a key role in verifying proper food safety practices in processing facilities. During an audit they will review paperwork, inspect buildings and look for data trends involving food safety. Examples of noncompliance include finding rusted production equipment, improper employee food handling and temporary machine fixes. Finally, they help reduce defects in products by providing advice related to regulatory compliance and quality management systems. QA professionals are knowledgeable about food safety regulations because they keep up to date with what occurs in the quality world. If the government requires production facilities. In addition to the task above here are some more examples of a QA technician’s day-to-day tasks: • Write, revise, update and maintain Quality Systems and food documentation. • Ensure that standard operating procedures match actions being performed in a plant. • Research and compose new technical documents and reports. 2. Quality Assurance Technicians are Sometimes Called Quality Control Technicians In some food processing facilities QA technicians are known quality control technicians or food safety specialist even though their duties are slightly different. Quality Assurance Technician Making sure that food safety programs are being followed Photo by jeffbergen/E+/GettyImages
FOOD SAFETY - QUALITY ASSURANCE TECHNICIAN QUALITY ASSURANCE TECHNICIAN - FOOD SAFETY 7 8 6. Quality Assurance Technicians Complete a lot of Paperwork In food manufacturing plants, there is a fair amount of tracking involved. From the moment an ingredient is delivered to a manufacturing facility to the time it exits every where it moves it is tracked. Extensive ingredient tracking occurs because if a food safety/quality issue were to arise then the food affected could be identified. Quality assurance create documents which are used by all production staff. These checklists may be performed through a tablet or an “old school” pencil and paper. Typical pieces of information that these documents track are: • When raw ingredients enter the plant. • When machinery and equipment is cleaned. • Quality checks of in-progress products. It is up to QA to not only develop the documents that people use for tracking, but also make sure that people are correctly using them. 7. Quality Assurance Technicians Receive Many Great Perks There are a lot of amazing aspects to working in quality assurance. Firstly, you gain an in-depth understanding of complex organizations. When preventing quality defects, quality assurance looks at all aspects of an organization from the role of management to the daily habits of production staff. This provides them with a strong idea of what goes on at every level within an organization. Secondly, working as a quality assurance technician makes you a visible face within an organization. Although all jobs in a food plant have a degree of visibility, there is something slightly different with QA. People become aware of you. Production staff constantly speak with you and you become the face of the organization with outside auditors. Having these opportunities is a great way to meet people and network. 8. Quality Assurance Technicians are Problem Solvers, Detail-Oriented, and Effective Communicators Being a quality assurance professional requires a wide range of skills however there are a few which are more essential than others. These skills include: • Problem Solving – Quality assurance is always looking for ways to prevent problems before they happen. This requires imagining potential quality issues, generating multiple solutions and the implementing the solution so the problem never happens in the first place! • Detail-Oriented – A QA can’t mess up on any documentation because it could lead to a non-conformance issue during an audit. They need to ensure every safety procedure is followed through properly right to the smallest detail. At the end of the day, their attention to detail is what protects the consumer. • Communication – Although they might spend a lot of time behind a computer, QA professionals work with a wide range of people. If a problem occurs, they must be able to effectively communicate with staff different levels of educational and work experience. If a person doesn’t understand the problem and solution, how can they ever fix it? In many smaller companies the food safety/ quality department is smaller to reflect of the size of the company. Therefore, a QA technician might take on the roles of both a QC and QA. That’s why you might catch these technicians testing products, updating regulatory documentation and performing audits. In a larger company, it is rare to find a specialist working in the lab, testing samples. Instead, they spend a lot of time at their computer following up on non-conformance issues, updating quality documentation and updating supplier specification programs. 3. Quality Assurance Technicians Have Science Degrees The traditional career path for the aspiring QA is achieving a bachelor’s degree in programs such as chemistry, biology or food science. However, an alternative pathway is to attend a college and complete a degree in quality assurance, regulatory affairs or food technology. There is a wide range of educational backgrounds within this field because the duties of a QA tech differ from company to company. Sometimes QA technicians even start as production floor workers and eventually end up in the lab. 4. Quality Assurance Technicians are Knowledgeable About GMPs and HACCP Understanding and maintaining organizational standards of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) are essential duties for any QA. Additionally, QA technicians have a strong understanding of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), an internationally recognized system for reducing the risk of safety hazards in food. HACCP is all about the identification of hazards and controlling them before and during production. Because QAs are concerned with stopping quality defects before they happen, they are very familiar with this system. Overall, understanding these systems becomes second nature to a QA – so much so that they could recite them back by memory. They know to always stay on top of the latest food safety news because food safety regulations are always changing. 5. Quality Assurance Technicians See the Bigger Picture It is up to Quality Assurance to “look into the future” and predict potential problems which might occur. For example, all manufacturing plants should have a plan in place for recalling food products should a food safety risk be identified. A recall happens when a product is deemed unsafe for the market after being distributed already to stores. QA’s have plans in place with the exact set of steps that must be taken should this occur. Of course, they never want this to happen but QA techs do not let infringements occur with a backup plan in place. GMPs are a set of practices that ensure that products are consistently produced under safe conditions. QAs make sure that staff follow GMPs and that manufacturing plants are up to standards that reduce the possibility of defected product. Check out Episode 25 of the FoodGrads Podcast where Veronica interviews a Quality Assurance Analyst. What does a day in the life of an Assurance Analyst look like? How did our guest find herself in this line of work? Click the photo to tune in! Centennial College is an Education Partner of ours, check them out on FoodGrads! Click their logo below! Available Programs: Food Science Technology, Nutrition and Food Service Management, Biotechnology Centennial College Generally, the distinction between a QA and QC is that quality assurance focuses on preventing defects in food while quality control ensures quality after the product has been manufactured. Simply put, QA ensures quality before production while QC ensures quality during and after production. Photo by MEDITERRANEAN/E+/GettyImages Photo by andresr/E+/GettyImages
FOOD SAFETY - FOOD AUDITORS 10 9 FOOD SAFETY Food Auditor Audits play an integral role in verifying proper food safety practices at food and beverage processing facilities. Food safety audits are systematic, independent and documented process used to validate the safety of food manufacturing facilities and their processes. They are used to determine if food is manufactured in a safe environment and if hazards are properly identified, controlled or eliminated. Food auditors are like the restaurant inspectors of the manufacturing world. They go in and inspect establishments to see if they are preparing food in a safe way. This profession is integral to the food supply chain and as more food facilities continue to open worldwide there is an increasing demand for auditors. 1. Food Auditors Audit Food Manufacturing Plants A food auditor is a professional who performs food safety audits on client organizations to ensure food safety standards are upheld. They verify and document evidence of compliance and non-compliance and write comprehensive reports on audit findings. When corrective actions are identified, they communicate with quality control and assist in the management of addressing any appeals. Finally, they educate and train client employees on food safety practices. In addition to evaluating food safety itself, food auditors will audit a manufacturing plant and ensure that they have proper systems in place for evaluating the facility, identifying issues and taking corrective actions. They want to make sure that even if an audit is not being performed, the company is able to take corrective actions on their own. For example, an auditor may find that there are no temperature controls in a transportation vehicle. The auditor will look to the quality department and ask why have they not created a system to identify the error. Once identified the problem it must be addressed and proper measures put in place. 2. Food Auditors Frequently Travel Some food auditors can expect to travel 80% or more of their time. They perform frequent and overnight travel, with some of these trips taking them around the country and the world. Audits can last days at a time, so auditors need to be comfortable being away from home for a few days at a time. Although minor, these professionals are usually responsible for finding their own accommodations (this is covered by the company). 3. Food Auditors Have Industry Experience Food auditing is not a career that a new graduate can jump into right out of the gate. All food auditors must start with hands-on training in a quality-related role like quality control or quality assurance for at least 3-5 years. In addition to work experience, food auditors generally have university degrees in science. Examples include food science, chemistry, biology and microbiology. These degrees provide a solid foundation for when students enter the industry. A degree in the sciences allows food auditors to first begin their careers in quality departments at manufacturing plants. In some rare cases, food auditors may only have a high school diploma but extensive work experience in quality control and assurance allows them to overcome this hurdle. However, this is becoming less common, as the need for education is pushing the demand forward. The best food auditors are those who have been mentored or trained by other food auditors. Auditors trained by a mentor have a better grasp of audit planning, interviewing techniques, document review and evaluating corrective actions focused on risk. Doing so Food Auditor Verifying proper safety practices at food and beverage facilities “I saw a chance to finally release the hidden travel bug and combine it with a service that provided real value to the global food industry,” an excerpt from the blog “My Ticket to The World.” Click the photo to read all about it!
FOOD SAFETY - FOOD AUDITORS FOOD AUDITORS - FOOD SAFETY 11 12 SQF Institute’s official document on “Criteria for SQF, Food Safety Auditors, Quality Auditors and Technical Reviewers”. However, it’s important to mention again that becoming an auditor is not something that you can do coming right out of school. Years of experience is needed in a quality/food safety role prior to entry. Another type of auditor is an inspector for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. These inspectors work at federally and provincially registered slaughterhouses, plants, or inspection laboratories. They inspect and certify products, focusing on key areas of specialization including fresh fruit and vegetable, dairy, grain, meat, plant protection, and fish. These inspectors do not require a post-secondary diploma with specialization in technical science like chemistry and biology. However, in some circumstances the agency will give preference to applicants with a university degree. 7. Food Auditors Have Integrity Even though an auditor may be highly regarded, there will be times that they get pushback. Even highly documented, fully supported audit reports will generate disagreements. Individuals can become angry and even deny their actions when they receive the results of the audit. Food auditors need to have a strong sense of integrity and know what they are doing is essential for safety. This strong integrity comes in the form of resilience so that they can work with people in a constructive manner. Auditors push through people’s resistance and put safety above all. 8. Food Auditors Communicate Well, are Objective, and Think Critically Being a food auditor requires a wide range of skills. However, there are a few which are more essential than others. These skills include: • Communication – Auditors communicate effectively with clients and companies to ensure that problems and solutions are understood. If food facilities don’t understand the problem, then corrective actions cannot be met. • Critical/Systematic Thinking – These professionals have the ability to think clearly and are sensible both in their structure and purpose. When they see a problem, they are able to systematically think about the reasoning and make conclusions. • Objective – Food auditors are independent andobjective. Theyhavea strongconstitution, know what is right and are unduly influenced by operating management. Finally, they put food safety above all because consumer health is their top priority. During audits, auditors understand that when they point out non-conformances, this isn’t meant to hurt someone’s feelings but simply to ensure food safety. sets that person apart, contributes to a good reputation and secures a long-term career. 4. Food Auditors are Record Keepers If you are not familiar with the auditing process, you should know that a lot of time is spent going through records. According to Nancy Scharlach, 60% of an auditors time goes to reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and day-to-day records. For example, a day-to-day record could be a standard document for the testing of pH on a milk product. An auditor will read through the document and ensure that every single test is signed off and that any test which has a non-compliance has an additional comment talking about the corrective action. When going through records, auditors are looking to see if there are any general negative trends. If one is observed they will seek corrective action and ensure that a new system is put in place to avoid this. 5. Food Auditors use a Four-Step Process During food audits, auditors follow a simple method. The steps that they follow are: 1. Observe - This step is the basis of everything. Auditors need to have a strong attention for detail and the ability to see things that others do not. They must pay attention to the premise and observe that it’s being properly maintained and cleaned. Auditors observe people to ensure they perform their jobs correctly and safely. 2.Question - Auditors need to be able to ask the right questions to ensure open communication. These questions can be open or close-ended and depend on what the auditor wants to know. They ask openended questions when they want to seek more information about a non-compliance to identify the root cause. Closed questions are used when auditors determine compliance without explanation or qualification. 3. Listen -When an auditor asks a question, they listen to the response of the communicator. They are receptive, make encouraging sounds and always check for understanding. When you talk to an auditor, you always know they are listening. 4. Record-Auditors areexposedtoa substantial amount of information during audits. That’s why they need to take clear, concise notes. They record any non-conformances with explicit details so they can follow up later. 6. Food Auditors Have Certifications There are many different certifications that an auditor is required to possess. These certifications are based on the company they are auditing, the company the auditor works for and the country they are auditing within. The most common certifications are SQF, HACCP and ISO. Safe Quality Food (SQF) is a safety program that is recognized by food service and retailers to ensure credible food safety management. SQF differs from other food safety programs because it is the only program recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). A SQF auditor is one that is employed by SQF and audits food manufacturing facilities certified under SQF. In order to obtain this certification, potential SQF candidates must complete a HACCP training course and the SQF systems course. There are so many more requirements for these types of auditors, but it is difficult to cover them all in this book. If you are interested in learning more, please refer to the ISO Auditor as a Career https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD2Zz0SjO3E Jagmohan describes the importance of becoming an ISO Auditor as a career and provides guidance on how to achieve this goal. Centennial College is an Education Partner of ours, check them out on FoodGrads! Click their logo below! Available Programs: Food Science Technology, Nutrition and Food Service Management, Biotechnology Centennial College Why is it so important to pursue a career in Food Safety & Auditing? Your contributions to the industry can lower the following numbers (see below) and keep the population safe and healthy! • 1 in 8 people (4 million Canadians) get sick each year from contaminated food. • Over 11,500 hospitalizations and 240 deaths occur each year due to foodrelated illnesses. Can you imagine how scary these numbers could be if we didn’t have Food Safety & Auditing professionals? Statistics and data collected from the Government of Canada. Photo by dusanpetkovic/iStock/GettyImagesPlus
FOOD SAFETY - HACCP COORDINATOR 14 13 FOOD SAFETY HACCP Coordinator Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic approach used to prevent chemical, physical and biological hazards in food production. The approach focuses on preventing problems of food safety and quality problems before they occur. HACCP is an internationally recognized method which requires manufactures to develop plans and processes that address potential food safety problems and put systems in place to mitigate their risk. It sounds as though there is a lot to HACCP, doesn’t it? Well, there is! That’s why many large companies delegate one person to implement and maintain the HACCP program. HACCP coordinators, not to be confused with a quality assurance technician or food safety manager, specifically take care of coordinating all aspects related to HACCP plants. 1. HACCP Coordinators Manage HACCP Programs HACCP Coordinators provide leadership and direction through the implementation and management of a HACCP program. They coordinate the development, implementation, maintenance and updates of a facility’s HACCP system. HACCP Coordinators ensure that documentation is maintained and updated based on improved processes. In addition to creating documentation, they also develop food safety and food quality-related training programs. Furthermore, they will go out on the manufacturing floor to verify that HACCP plans match the activities being performed by staff. These professionals assist with third-party audits. To successfully complete these audits, HACCP Coordinators must lead team meetings and provide HACCP system performance reports. Finally, they ensure that when something goes wrong at the plant, corrective actions are put in place and preventative measures are established. 2. HACCP Coordinators Complete a lot of Paperwork There’s a saying in food quality – if it isn’t documented then it didn’t happen. HACCP programs require companies to have documentation on processes, monitoring procedures, deviations and corrective actions taken at each critical control point. These documents come in many forms such as processing charts, checklists and written records. HACCP Coordinators create these documents as outlined by the international HACCP requirements. For example, every time a piece of equipment is cleaned documentation must be completed as “proof” it happened. HACCP Coordinator Ensuring that food is safe for consumption 7 Principles of HACCP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwQciPDMBBQ&t=1s Have you heard of HACCP before? If not that’s okay, this video will fill you in! Did you know? HACCP was originally started from a National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) food safety program in the 1960s. NASA needed to ensure the astronauts would not get ill from eating the food being sent to space. Pillsbury Company was contacted to create the first space foods with as close to 100% assurance that foods would be free of bacterial or viral pathogens. Safety plans at the time were not adequate so in 1971 they introduced HACCP as a preventative system which was more comprehensive.
FOOD SAFETY - HACCP COORDINATOR HACCP COORDINATOR - FOOD SAFETY 15 16 In addition to audits, HACCP coordinators also perform mock recalls. A mock recall is an internal practice where a facility “pretends” that a product is not safe for consumption. For example, they could pretend that glass got into a product or there was labeling issues. The facility then rehearses what would happen if a real recall occurred. This is a good experiment to know how prepared a facility really is. If a facility can’t product all the paper work used to track the movement of the material or can’t “recall” the product within a certain time this is a considered a failure. Teams would then have to go back and assess their systems and make necessary changes. 7. HACCP Coordinators Train Other Staff Typically, there is only one individual which is established as the HACCP Coordinator at a manufacturing facility. But this doesn’t mean that others don’t support the HACCP coordinator. HACCP Coordinators train and create training material for different facility departments including quality assurance, operations, sanitation and maintenance. They conduct annual training such as prerequisite training, goodmanufacturing practice training and food defense training. 8. HACCP Coordinators are Organized, Lead Teams and are Effective Communicators Being a HACCP Coordinator requires a range of skills. However, there are a few which are more essential than others. These skills include: • Organization – HACCP programs are extensive with multiple documents and are organized like a book with sections, chapters and references to other material. To maintain these this system HACCP Coordinators also have to be organized. Information must be easily accessible and in the world of safety, nothing should ever be lost. • Leadership– HACCP Coordinators motivate and inspire others in an organization to uphold food safety regulations and practices. They are proactive, lead by example and establish a clear view of what a safe food facility should look like. • Communication/Interpersonal skills – The ability to communicate is an essential skill needed in teamwork. Staff can’t uphold food safety if they are unaware of what to do. Coordinators effectively communicate with all levels of operations. On top of that, they continuously review worker activities to verify that activities match those outlined in the HACCP documentation. This involves verifying if workers are keeping up with the completing the paperwork physically or digitally. 3. HACCP Coordinators Have Degrees in Science It’s common for HACCP Coordinators to have bachelor’s degrees in food science, biology, nutrition or a related field. Many of these programs have courses that teach about concepts in HACCP and to how write up your very own plan. However, in recent years, alternative routes have sprung up for students. Some companies only require individuals to have a college diploma in a food science-related discipline such as quality assurance or microbiology. No matter their education, it is essential that HACCP Coordinators have working experience for at least a year in a quality-related role like Quality Control or Quality Assurance. Experience in these roles gives individuals abetter perspective on what goes on in a manufacturing plant. Finally, becoming a HACCP Coordinator requires an actual certification in HACCP. These certifications can be obtained from reputable certification providers that offer online courses or in-person training. Some employers may even sponsor an employee’s training so make sure to ask and show interest! 4. HACCP Coordinators Work Directly with Operations Staff HACCP Coordinators need to have strong written and oral communications skills. As a coordinator you are required to read and write many types of documentation. Additionally, carrying out an effective HACCP plan requires the dedication of every level of an organization. To bring these teams together, HACCP Coordinators speak with all levels of staff and build trust. These levels of staff include production, supervisors and upper management. Individuals should feel they can come to the coordinator and that their concerns will be genuinely heard and considered. 5. HACCP Coordinators Analyze Trends An essential step in any HACCP plan is to monitor operations and determine if there is a trend towards a loss of control. What does this mean? A loss of control is when a hazard puts a food’s safety at risk. With the assistance of production management and the quality control department, HACCP Coordinators monitor plant operations to determine if there are any repeated food safety failures. For example, in a manufacturing plant that deals with peanut and non-peanut products, a HACCP Coordinator could notice that over the period of a month, the plant failed numerous peanut allergen tests. They would investigate to find the root cause of these failures which in this example could be poor cleaning because of poor training of new staff. 6. HACCP Coordinators Assist with Audits Preparing and going through an audit is a lot of work and food plants need guidance to go through them. That’s why HACCP Coordinators facilitate or assist with third party audits. An audit is the process of verifying proper food safety practices at a food and beverage processing facility. Audits are systematic, independent and determine if hazards are properly identified and controlled or eliminated. Data collected from audits helps manufacturing plants verify proper safety practices and identify key areas which need to be improved. • Her transition from graduate degree to work force. • Where Esther’s passion for the meat industry comes from. • Her advice for those looking to go into the meat industry. Want to learn more about HACCP but don’t know where start? Then check out episode 51 of the FoodGrads Podcast where podcast host Veronica Hislop interviews HACCP Coordinator Esther Ejiwade for Sofina Foods. Click the photo to tune in! In this episode you will learn about: • What Esther does as a HACCP Coordinator. • The habits she has to succeed at her role. Conestoga College is an Education Partner of ours, check them out on FoodGrads! Click their logo below! Available Programs: Food Safety & Quality Assurance - Food Processing, Food Processing Technician, Operations Leadership in Food Manufacturing Conestoga College Do you have a passion for food? For career advice, support and connections, visit FoodGrads.com! Photo by Mongkolchon Akesin/iStock/Getty Images Plus
FOOD SAFETY - SANITATION WORKER 18 17 FOOD SAFETY Sanitation Worker Sanitation is an essential step for any food manufacturing plant. Proper sanitation ensures that food is processed on clean machinery, reducing or eliminating the risk of microbe, pest and allergen-related issues. We simply could not have a safe food system without individuals working on the front lines and keeping plants clean. You could even argue that the sanitation department is one of the most important departments at any food facility. How can you expect to do anything if nothing is clean? To keep things clean, manufacturing facilities hire sanitation workers because they maintain good housekeeping and sanitary conditions within a facility. 1. Sanitation Workers Sanitize and Clean Processing Areas A sanitationworker keepsmanufacturingplants, including its equipment and facilities, clean on a regular and scheduled basis in accordance with government regulations, the public health code and generally accepted food industry sanitation standards. Sanitation workers complete the responsibilities of the sanitation department by working as a part of a sanitation team. They use appropriate cleaning methods (in accordance to Good Manufacturing Standards) to clean all equipment and utensils (i.e., pails, containers, machine parts). Other fixtures sanitation workers may be required to clean are roofs, fans, ceilings, walls and floors. Throughout the cleaning process, sanitation workers complete forms as set out by the sanitation and quality departments. These forms keep track of sanitation procedures and show proof that equipment has been cleaned should an audit occur. Finally, they clean and sanitize production equipment based on a master cleaning schedule. Schedules provide workers with information of what tasks are to be performed on their shift. 2. Sanitation Workers Work in Teams The number of individuals that a sanitation worker works with varies, depending on the size of the company. Many sanitation workers work independently and are assigned specific tasks to complete by the end of their shift. However, sometimes these professionals might be required to work as a team such as when they have to clean a large piece of machinery. Throughout cleaning, workers need to be aware of colleagues and how they clean because it avoids cross-contamination. For example, you wouldn’t want to clean anallergen surface beside a non-allergen surface or use the same water. Not knowing what your co-workers are doing could lead to a food safety risk. 3. Sanitation Workers Don’t Need a Post-Secondary Education The best part about this job is that typically no previous experience or education is required. Facilities will provide you with on-the-job training. Training sometimes comes in the form of formal training, but most can be learned from Sanitation Worker Keeping production plants clean and safe “Cutting boards have been found to contain more bacteria than the average toilet seat,” an excerpt from the blog “Go Ahead, Eat Food Off the Kitchen Floor!” Click the photo to read all about it! Photo by David Fuentes Prieto/iStock/ GettyImagesPlus
FOOD SAFETY - SANITATION WORKER SANITATION WORKER - FOOD SAFETY 19 20 7. Sanitation Workers Keep Track of What They do Filling out paperwork isn’t the most enjoyable task in the world but it is a necessity for tracking food safety. Sanitation workers keep track of what they are doing by completing forms and marking check boxes. Theses documents are typically created by the food safety and quality department and are required as part of food safety programs like SQF (Safe Quality Foods)... ...and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). Documentation acts as a facility’s proof of cleaning so when an audit comes up, their records “prove” they heave cleaned the machinery. Other basics writing tasks a sanitation work might perform include writing short notes to supervisors requesting supplies and a brief description or report on a corrective action. 8. Sanitation Workers Have a Good Memory, Make Decisions, and Plan Tasks Being a sanitation professional requires a range of skills. However, there are a few which are more essential than others. These skills include: • Good memory – Although sanitation workers have written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), these take time to read every day. Over time, sanitation workers develop a good working memory by watching other people perform. Having a good memory ensures faster times and better muscle memory as well. • Task planning and organizing – Sanitation workers need to be flexible and prepared at any time for their required tasks to change. For example, an unexpected order might come in for a plant that requests them to clean a machine immediately. They have a good understanding of how long each task will take so they can better organize their day. • Decision making – Many sanitation workers work independently. Therefore, they must have the ability to make decisions such as when it is the best time to perform a task, use appropriate equipment and efficiently deal with a problem. colleagues and supervisors. It’s a good occupation which gives you the option to enter with no formal education and the opportunity to work your way up the ranks and pay grades. You could start off as a sanitation worker, work your way up to a sanitation lead and in some cases even begin to work in the quality or production departments. 4. Sanitation Workers Work in a Mixture of Working Conditions Manufacturing plants vary in the setup of their facilities. Some facilities are cold, some on the more humid side, while others are just at room temperature. Sanitation workers must be prepared to work in different conditions as required by the employer. It’s important to note that each plant differs in their structure and sanitation conditions. Nowadays, a newer plant is highly automated and the environment is very high tech. 5. Sanitation Workers Have Physical Jobs Sanitation workers spend nearly all their time on their feet, moving constantly. Throughout the day, they are required to stand or stoop for the full shift and in many cases, to climb ladders. Good mobility is also required because they must reach high to clean things such as roofs, fans, ceilings and walls using specific procedures as directed. Depending on the size of the equipment, they may have to control high-pressure hoses. Furthermore, these workers move equipment to different parts of the plant and lift heavy chemicals. 6. Sanitation Workers Understand MSDS Sanitation workers come across a variety of chemicals throughout their day and it is integral for their own safety that they know what they are using. To obtain information on chemicals, they look to a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), a document that contains information on the potential hazards (health, fire, reactivity and environmental) of a chemical product. Sanitation workers should have a basic level of writing and reading comprehension. These workers must understand what each chemical does and how to properly use them. Sanitation in Meat and Poultry Plants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUJ4vI-JA88 This video takes you inside the overnight shift at a meat plant and shows the extensive cleaning process from start to finish. Want to learn more about where a career as a sanitation worker can take you? Then check out our partner Mentorship series with CareersNOW! on careers in Sanitation / Health, Safety & Environmental. In this episode interview you can listen to Terri Lynn, Sanitation Supervisor at Trophy Foods talk about: • A day in her life. • Why cleaning is a more complicated job then it sounds. • The right way to go about cleaning in a food processing facility. The following YouTube Mentorship series features our own Nicole Gallace! Ontario Jobs | CareersNOW! Mentorship Series - Sanitation / Health, Safety & Environmental https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJOxf5CKYn4 Tune in for an in-depth mentorship session on how to find your perfect job as a food safety professional. This session features two food and beverage industry experts who are active players in the community and offers everything you need to jumpstart your dream career. Is eating cold leftovers risky? Dr. Don and Professor Ben of the Risky or Not podcast say that eating cold leftovers is completely fine and risk free of germs. Click the photo to check them out! Photo by Visivasnc/iStock/GettyImagesPlus Four simple steps at home for food safety: 1. Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often. 2. Separate: Don’t cross contaminate. 3. Cook with the correct temperature. 4. Chill: Refrigerate promptly. For more food safety tips check out the CDCwebsite.
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