Bridging Industry with Regulatory

There is no shortage of programs that offer training in food safety. When choosing where or how to obtain food safety training, managers have many factors to consider including reputation of the organization, cost, relevance to meet the level of the trainee, availability of updates and revisions, and access to a variety of training formats. In addition, food safety professionals must understand local, state, national, and global regulations that affect their facility operations. The benefit of obtaining a nationally recognized credential is the transferability across state lines, and the requirement for continuing education to maintain the credential ensures that the professional is up-to-date on the most recent changes affecting the industry.

Collaborating with industry and all levels of government provides a bridge between regulators and food professionals in retail, manufacturing, and processing—an opportunity to work together towards the same goal. With the support of their food regulatory agencies, industry representatives can take coordinated steps to respond properly to an illness outbreak or food recall. Swift, appropriate action can help to minimize unsafe products ignored or left behind on the shelves of stores, in restaurants, and in homes and restores faith in the food service industry. Individuals and organizations with demonstrated success in facilitating cross-functional collaborations and with specialized expertise in the food supply chain will be a crucial factor in creating an efficient worldwide system that promotes best practices for a safe global food supply.

Baker is the program administrator at NEHA. Reach him at [email protected]. Landeen is the assistant manager, research and development, at NEHA. Reach her at [email protected].