You're a food safety professional. What's the best way to stay on top of your game?

In my experience i have came across many online sessions and free online webinars going on where you can explore yourself for boosting your knowledge. E.g. IFSQN having free webinar on every Friday on different topics of food safety systems and their challenges like, Pest control, HACCP, RA, CAPA, Environmental Monitoring, Food Fraud, Food Safety Culture etc. FST Leaders can also add value in their team’s members by having offline shop floors training for better and effective understanding of food safety management. At most Culture matters.

Continuously upgrade your knowledge of latest food safety and quality trends in your industry. Participate in related workshops, seminars and related courses to have an insight. Must be a proactive learner having can do attitude and open to learn new techniques. Being food safety professional its a great responsibility to take right decisions as it all related to consumer health and safety and your decisions either right or wrong having direct impact on food borne illness.

To stay on top of my game as a food safety professional, I prioritize continuous learning and professional development. This involves staying updated on industry regulations, attending relevant workshops and conferences, networking with peers, and regularly participating in training programs. Additionally, I stay informed about emerging food safety technologies and best practices to ensure that my knowledge and skills are current and aligned with industry standards.

In my experience, understanding more about food safety and processing techniques through education, experience and staying updated with latest technologies in the field can help you to qualify.

I personally agree that taking online courses is the best and easy way to boost our knowledge about something we find interesting. However, when we decided to take some topics seriously or wanted to having a professional career I suggest to take more than just an online courses.

What are the 8 food safety programs? The foundation of a food safety management system is: 1. Good personal hygiene practices; 2. Food Safety Training Program; 3. Supplier Selection and Specification Program; 4. Quality Control and Assurance Program; 5. Cleaning and Sanitation Program; 6.Standard Operating Procedures (SOP); 7. Facility Design and Equipment Maintenance Program; 8. Pest Control Program.

Joining to the professional network will be having 3 key advantages 1. It is expanding your professional networking ability 2. You are getting motivation, understanding and insight of the industry behavior 3. You will be getting opportunity to learn new things I am encouraging connecting with others with good faith (dnt be opportunistic), help to others, get help from others.

Engaging with professional associations in the realm of food safety not only fosters a sense of community among professionals but also provides invaluable resources. The networking opportunities, publications, conferences, workshops, awards, and advocacy offered by organizations like IAFP, IFT, FSPCA, and AFDO contribute significantly to staying abreast of industry trends and fostering a collaborative approach to addressing evolving challenges in food safety.

What is the Organisation's food safety Plan? A FSP is?a plan designed to identify and control hazards in order to establish and maintain food safety. The hazards may relate to the purchase, storage, preparation, packaging, transport or sale of food. What is a food safety program for? A food safety program is?a documented system that identifies the food safety hazards in the handling of food in a food business. The program details the way the hazards will be controlled in that business. Your food safety program is accredited by your local council.

En tant que professionnel du secteur alimentaire, il est crucial de non seulement suivre les actualités mais également de participer activement à des réseaux professionnels, d'assister à des conférences et de partager des expériences avec d'autres experts du secteur. L'échange d'informations en temps réel favorise une compréhension approfondie des nouveaux défis, des opportunités émergentes, et permet d'adopter rapidement les meilleures pratiques. Cela contribue à renforcer la vigilance et la préparation face aux enjeux changeants de la sécurité sanitaire des aliments.

After graduating in food science, many students (including myself) are often unaware of how the industry operates and various career paths available, such as R&D, Operations or Production, Quality, Food Safety, Auditing, etc. The difficulty of choosing the right path can be tricky. To overcome this, engage with senior professionals or participate in mentoring and career programs related to food science. Unfortunately, such programs are not abundant, and individuals usually need to search them out alone. These programs & classes can help you make career decisions. You can find mentors on various online platforms like YouTube or LinkedIn. Remember, if you're just moving with the flow, you might not be truly working towards your goals.

I love to be stay updated on the food safety news. That gives me insights as well as confidence to assess risk related to our processes. Because, incident teaches us many things that we may not able to anticipate. Food Safety News, CDC, FDA are some of trusted Sources for information I follow

Update your knowledge time to time world in running very fast to cope with it and gain knowledge of your field from all possible sources. Try to have a look at the news for improvements to meet market race.

Follow the industry news, Spend time to learn about the regulation. Have a learning on unsafe food and it's impact These steps helps you to drive you to your aims

To stay unique and at the top of your game, it's crucial to be aware of the latest trends in your field, especially in times when AI is becoming increasingly prominent. For food safety professionals, understanding how to use various AI tools and incorporating them into the field is important. Read magazines and articles, analyze them critically, and attend food safety discussions with senior professionals and experts. The more you grow your network with top professionals, the more you enhance your knowledge and professional growth

Staying on top of the game in food safety is crucial for protecting public health by Staying Informed: Regulations and Standards: Keep yourself updated on changes in food safety regulations and industry standards at the local, national, and international levels. Monitor relevant agencies like the FDA, USDA, and Codex Alimentarius. Emerging Trends: Be aware of new technologies, research findings, and foodborne illness outbreaks. Familiarize yourself with topics like antimicrobial resistance, bioterrorism threats, and the impact of climate change on food safety. Consumer Awareness: Understand consumer priorities and concerns regarding food safety. Stay informed about public health campaigns and food recall alerts.

Staying on top of the game in food safety is crucial for protecting public health and ensuring your career remains vibrant by Practical Application: Audits and Inspections: Conduct regular internal audits and mock inspections to identify and address potential food safety hazards in your workplace. HACCP Implementation: Actively participate in and contribute to the development and implementation of HACCP plans within your organization. Risk Management: Develop a proactive approach to risk assessment and mitigation. Analyze potential hazards in your specific operation and implement effective controls to prevent foodborne illness.

Feedback is crucial for the growth of any food professional and even outside of your professional career. It is easy to get defensive or counterarguments for when feedback is given. It's not easy to hear feedback all the time and hearing where you need to improve. A great mindset to have when receiving feedback is to think of feedback as a gift. Feedback is a gift to give you insights on how you can grow and improve rather than stopping you in your tracks. Everyone needs feedback. Ask your co-workers, peers, or boss for feedback and be receptive to it. It shows a willingness to acknowledge areas of improvement and a thoughtfulness in seeing things from another point of view.

In my experience, this most important aspect. As an practice I am not hesitate to take feedback from line managers, peers and who are reporting to me (360). It helps to identify improvement areas. If you seek Personnel development in leadership, communication, interpersonal skills, best way to improve is getting feedback from other how they feel it. The feedback you need to collates and analyze before it make in to action.

Read your Directives, re read them again, stay up to date on the information, AgLearn is a great tool... ask questions ! Your peers have already been there. A lot of Food Safety is basic common sense,but I have learned throughout my career,that a lot of people have no clue, they don't know what they don't know....or they just believe what they are told. Do some research, ask your peers, pay attention.

Siempre hay cosas que aprender y mejorar y que mejor de la mano de colegas, amigos, compa?eros y superiores. Asumir nuevos retos y proyectos, es crecer aunque parezcan complicados en su momento, hay que seguir creyendo que se puede.

All food safety professionals must be technically at the top of their games by always following four simple steps - Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Wash hands with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food; after handling uncooked meat, fish, and eggs. Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water. Separate to avoid cross-contaminate. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate. Cook to the right temperature to kill germs that can make you sick. Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature. Refrigerate promptly. Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the “Danger Zone” between 40°F and 140°F.

En tant que professionnel de la salubrité des aliments, l'un des défis majeurs consiste à intégrer les connaissances acquises dans notre vie quotidienne et à les diffuser dans notre entourage. Pour ma part, je m'engage activement à relever ce défi en cherchant à améliorer les conditions hygiéniques dans le secteur du street food. Cela implique une sensibilisation constante et la mise en place de formations adaptées pour élever les normes d'hygiène dans ce secteur informel, contribuant ainsi à la sécurité alimentaire à une échelle plus large.

Food safety professionals are responsible for ensuring that food is processed, packaged, and prepared according to established standards, which can be implemented by their company or regulatory organizations. They play a crucial role in protecting public health and ensuring that food is safe for consumption. To become a proficient food safety professional, years of experience is needed, along with an excellent grounding in core skills and knowledge. Some professionals may pursue postgraduate studies or certifications to enhance their food safety knowledge and sharpen their skills. Food safety professionals can work in various settings, such as restaurants, hospitals, food production facilities, schools, and hotels.

To stay on top of your game in the food industry, prioritize continuous learning, explore new culinary trends, attend industry events, network with fellow professionals, and seek feedback from customers to adapt and refine your skills and offerings. Stay curious and open to innovation in the dynamic world of food.

It’s not always about having trainings, Participate in Food safety programs, but there are more ways to keep you active in the game. As QA or food safety professionals, one of the most interesting ways is keep your self rolling with active client base activities. Working together with your customers to get solves their issues in the food industry to serve consumers more safer and healthy products, finding solutions for the issues, Answering and analysis of root cause of customer complaints, applying corrections and preventive actions on them & etc. These activities keep you rolling & give you a numerous opportunities to learn and study new things.