9fbtechreview.comJUNE - 2022fulfill the role of the "qualifying standard" but now, I am not so sure. The certification bodies are not leading in this area. Too many auditors being approved without enough technical knowledge, and a system that requires too much time to be spent reviewing records and writing reports. When these standards were launched, the auditors were typically former quality and technical managers who really understood the process. There was a lot less focus on a report and a lot more focus on findings. The move to the standards becoming "accredited" had a detrimental impact, as there were now other factors affecting the audit process. The audit grade is also a factor as it seems that just about everyone is the top grade. The standard owners, certification bodies can run reports on this. This is one area that accreditation bodies could truly add value as they should be able to challenge CB's about the skew of audit grades. Education and Training There are many people who are delivering training and education, in this sector, who themselves have never had any real experience in the workplace. This isn't a theoretical business.Students are graduating from Colleges and Universities who then have to be trained when they start working. As someone who hires quality and technical staff, I have yet to be presented with a recent graduate who is able to quickly add value to the team. Graduating does not mean qualified and we need to remember this.There are also people who are appointed into roles and are accepting jobs for a title, as companies are often looking to avoid paying properly for the talent. I know of people holding senior positions in food safety who failed auditing and HACCP courses, and another who said, "Pre-requisite programs do not manage hazards and risks."Everyone Needs to Know About Food SafetyThere is no such thing as zero risks when it comes to food. There is however a sense that all of the responsibility lies with growers and manufacturers. Wrong--consumers must play their part. I believe food safety should be taught in schools. Many people have very little knowledge about where their food comes from and do not handle it properly. Failure to follow correct storage and cooking instructions is a real problem, and many research studies suggest that most food poisoning occurs at home due to poor practices. This is a very uncomfortable truth. It is also not helped by the CFIA who does not conduct a thorough, detailed initial investigation when a consumer reports the illness. Most investigations are based on a consumer's "self-diagnosis" with them, often assuming it was the last thing they ate.I also believe much better food education would lead us to less wasted food and a reduction in the number of the population who are food insecure. Proper understanding of shelf life, knowledge of handling and storage, combined with significant uptake in vendors donating surplus food or product that is getting close to the end of its life, could make a massive difference to the amount, quality and variety of food that is available to everyone.Not All Doom and Gloom It might appear as if the sky is falling in, but there are many positives. Educate everyone in the basics of safe food and work at producing the next generation of food safety leaders. Legislate better to minimize food waste and focus our efforts on getting a good supply of food to everyone.I also want to challenge everyone working in our sector to see themselves as "everyone's mother and father." Imagine that the foods you are making, packing and serving are being fed to your loved ones. If you wouldn't feed the products to your own family, why would you think they are good enough for mine?I only ever wanted to work in the food industry and I am very proud of many of my colleagues. As a former University Senior Lecturer and a Food Industry Trainer, I could burst with pride when I see people I have taught and worked with succeed. There are many great people in our industry, and it is for them to push the standards and to call out poor practices and bad behaviors. We owe it to our fellow human beings, who day in and day out put their trust in us. I know we can rise to the challenge. Gordon HayburnThe 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
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