fbtechreview.comJUNE - 20228in myviewHistoryI do not think we are learning from it. When a company can have multiple recalls for the same issue in the period of two or three years, then we know it is failing. When those companies, and there are more than one, are closely involved with government agencies, third-party audit standard owners, specifiers, certification bodies, etc. then we know there is a bigger issue. I find it insulting that people from these organizations will sit on industry advisory boards, speak at conferences, etc. and tell the rest of us what should be done.The food industry is a prime example of the saying, mostly attributed to the writer and philosopher George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."Profit Before PeopleThe apostle Paul, in his first letter to his young disciple, Timothy, had this to say: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." The food industry, like all others, is about making profits, and no one would deny this is vital as we all need to get paid, but this must never be at the expense of consumer safety. There have been many well-known and cited instances where profit was put above people. I am unsure why those that can do something about this are choosing not to act. There are influential people out there and we need them to take the lead.Food Safety Does Not Come for Free I have read on numerous occasions that "food safety is a non-competitive issue." I do not agree.This statement is simply a way for people to pretend that they are all giving the same level of attention, to this aspect of their business like everyone else. It is not true. Some companies are better at food safety than others. Some invest more heavily in training, pay properly to get the right caliber of people, etc. Food safety is a selling point and companies should be using this to their advantage. Due to my time working in the industry and some of the roles I have had, I am fortunate to know who the good, and the bad are. Sadly, no-one seems prepared to pay for this, so businesses are trying to do the best they can on a budget. Doing Your Best Food safety is not about doing your best, it is about doing it right. There is a big difference.Everyone working in a food safety role must ensure the food we eat and serve to family and friends is safe. We must trust the expertise and the care of those who make our food.Doing your best might not be enough. I am in no doubt that the majority of people working in the field will try to do their best, but unless they have the knowledge and understanding required then their best simply won't do. When you audit a site that vacuum packs meats and the senior food safety person doesn't know about anaerobic organisms, or a canned foods processor who cannot explain the log reduction process nor what D and Z values are, you know it's not going to go well. The reliance on the CFIA hazard database or a process authority just doesn't cut it. Our health and wellbeing are too important to be part of an experiment. For the longest time, it looked as if third-party audit standards might BY GORDON HAYBURN, VICE PRESIDENT, FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY TROPHY FOODS INCFood Safety: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
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