FOOD SAFETY - DIRECTOR OF FOOD SAFETY 30 29 FOOD SAFETY Director of Food Safety Do you have a favourite food brand? A brand that is so big that it has multiple lines of products and there’s just no way that one facility could manufacture them all. Many food companies fall under this category with facilities across the world. Brands work hard to be consistent so that every time you eat a product you get the same experience. However, this feat isn’t as easy. On top of staying consistent with quality they also need to stay on top of their food safety. That’s why companies look to one person to lead the charge. One’s with a strong vision and have the technical skills to pull it off. Food Safety Manager’s work on the ground level leading the charge on facility level. However, the professionals who bring all their efforts together are known as Directors of Food Safety and Quality. 1. A Director of Food Safety and Quality Directs the Food Safety of an Organization A Director of Food Safety and Quality is responsible for leading a company’s food safety, quality assurance and sanitation programs. Acting as the highest level of management for the food safety department, these directors help to ensure that all products sold through a company meet food safety, customer, and governmental compliance. There are many moving parts to effective food safety plans. However, it all starts with a vision accompanied with objectives. Directors set goals they would like to achieve during a certain period of time such as reducing customer complaints or updating all Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) documents by the end of year. Once they know what they would like to achieve they shift to supporting food departments by constantly communicating with food safety managers. Directors meet with all other upper management positions and talk about how things are going. Food Safety works closely with all departments so it’s important that they have birds eye view on company issues as they might affect their quality. Additionally, this includes discussing the needs and budgets of the department. 2. A Director of Food Safety and Quality are Always Looking to Improve the Food Safety of Their Company As more scientific research studies are conducted and new technologies become available there are more possibilities to improve food safety programs. For example, advances in automation could lead to improved sampling techniques that allow for faster testing times. Directors of Food Safety and Quality are always on the lookout for these new opportunities. They research, identify and evaluate the best practices which they can incorporate into their food safety plans. This information could come in the form of conferences, reading scientific journals or even just conversations with other food safety professionals. The key is that they are able to take technical knowledge and translate it into actionable steps which improve food safety systems. The goal is to make habits for workers that minimize food risks with minimum effort. 3. A Director of Food Safety and Quality has a Background in the Sciences Understanding the mechanisms behind preventing food borne illnesses involves understanding the science behind them. That’s why it is common for these professionals to have degrees in biology, microbiology, food science, chemistry or another science related degree Director of Food Safety Building a positive food safety culture Photo by EKKAPON - stock.adobe.com
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