Importance of Food Safety
Recalls stay at the same level year after year.
The top three categories are also the same: Allergens, Foreign Material, and Salmonella or Listeria. The order may change, but it’s always the same. Public trust in the food supply is eroding.
But here’s a harsh reality check for everyone in food safety.
If our programs were working, food safety recalls should decrease.
The goal of all our food safety programs is to protect the brand and public health.
It’s the singular purpose of anyone who works in food safety.
Why are we failing at achieving this goal? What else can we do? What are we missing?
Solving this problem has been my focus for the past five years.
I think I may have an answer.
After working in food safety for decades, I have found that the answer is no.
Audits are, by definition, standardized. It’s the only way they can function.
Auditors receive standardized training and ask the same questions year in and year out.
They are there for three days out of 365. It’s only a tiny snapshot of the plant. The plants know this and can make just about any plant good enough for that time so they can pass the audit.
Plus, they never go to corporate to look at food safety programs there.
That doesn’t make any sense!
Now, here’s the problem. Every company is unique.
They have their own mix of products, processes, people, and plants. You need to start looking at risk in addition to compliance.
Companies thrive by owning unique, low-competition niches—capitalism at work.
Audits are a snapshot of time, risk assessment is continuous.
Here are some examples:
Example 1. A supplier changes an ingredient and doesn't tell you.
Example 2. A war in Europe changes your supply chain.
Example 3. You have a new CEO in your company with no food experience.
In these cases, your food safety risk has significantly increased. Have your food safety systems adjusted to mitigate the potential of a recall?
I have found a solution.
If you want to be world class, you need to manage risk continuously. How risky is your business? Take this quick quiz to find out.
Think about when you purchase car insurance.
They ask you a series of questions that are designed to determine the risk of insuring you. They ask questions like:
- What is your age?
- Do you have any accidents?
- How far do you drive to work every week?
- Do you have any teenage drivers in your home?
- What make and model of car do you drive?
The list goes on and on. They don’t audit you. They don’t send someone to your home to review your documents, tour your home, or drive with you.
Their system is designed to measure the risk of a claim. The higher the risk, the higher your premium.
They know every driver is unique, and the risk can change over time.
If you get a speeding ticket, the risk goes up. You know the drill.
So, why don’t we do the same thing?
Like insurance, the answer to these questions can radically change your risk profile.
The new Food Safety Protection Policy helps you identify unique business risks and embed food safety into your Continuous Improvement process—acknowledging that both are constantly evolving.
To give you an idea, here are some areas where risk can change rapidly.
- Do you have a new CEO? Does that person have experience in the food industry?
- Do you have new suppliers in your system?
- Do you sell products to high-risk groups, such as young children or the elderly?
- Are your products considered Ready to Eat?
Click the link below to learn more about your company's potential food safety risk.
The Food Safety Summit Interviews
We had a chance to interview leading food safety experts on what food safety means to them. Watch below to see what they had to say.
Let’s Elevate Your Food Safety Standards
Join leading companies in achieving top-tier food safety compliance and operational excellence.
