The following case studies are the results of many years of research in the food safety field. These real-life examples demonstrate the best practices in action that prevent recalls, mitigate risk factors, and reinforce our client’s brand and reputation.
A Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) with an on-site quality assurance department, needed a full assessment of their food safety programs to determine if program gaps presented opportunities for foodborne illness outbreaks.
A comprehensive Risk-BasedTM assessment of the company’s food safety and quality programs was conducted to reveal the potential for food safety risks. Potential risks were then entered into a risk matrix for prioritization of risk mitigation actions. Where gaps revealed programs or process opportunities, an implementation plan was developed which included improvement actions across the supply chain and restaurant systems.
Potential food safety risks to the client’s brand were more transparent, allowing for proactive measures to be taken for risk mitigation. A process for due diligence review was established enabling key participants in the supply chain to elevate the level of stringency for their quality and food safety programs.
A food ingredient manufacturer was experiencing food safety events and product withdrawals even after consistently achieving scores of 95 percent and above on their GFSI audits. Avista’s team was asked to conduct a due diligence review of the food safety and quality programs, and to provide feedback for Risk-BasedTM improvements.
A specialized Risk-BasedTM assessment was developed with input from corporate headquarters and manufacturing plants. The client’s team was trained on Avista’s Risk-BasedTM methodology for performing internal audits. A database was developed to escalate food safety “near misses” and root cause analysis was deployed to close system gaps observed during the assessments.
Senior management now has more transparency on food safety near misses occurring in the manufacturing facilities. Due diligence is now baked into the way food safety programs are deployed throughout the facility. Management reviews are now conducted using risk-prioritization. Employees are trained on mitigating risks in their immediate work areas.
A client was having challenges with the development of new products with food safety as a priority. Both the R&D and Quality Assurance appeared to be working in silos during the development and commercialization of new products. Senior management requested assistance with a Risk-BasedTM product development methodology with integrated design for food safety.
Avista’s team worked with the client to map out a process for product development from concept to commercialization. Process capabilities, specifications, verification, and validation were included in the mapped process. Procedures were written that enabled cross-functional cooperation between the two departments, and deliberate efforts were made to expand the food safety culture to the R&D department.
The development of new products now has a defined process that focuses on food safety. Checks and balances are in place for the review of food safety aspects of the new product roll-out. The emphasis is now on designing products with food safety as a priority, instead of trying to inspect food safety in the production process.
Suppliers are usually required by their customers to implement and adhere to 3rd party quality and food safety standards. Whether these standards are domestic or international in scope, suppliers must effectively establish and monitor compliance to gain or maintain customers’ approval. Such was the case with a regional produce supplier who needed assistance with Quality Systems implementation to comply with one of their key customers’ requirements.
A gap analysis was performed on the client’s existing quality and food safety programs to determine areas for improvement. Opportunities for improvement were revealed, and a documented quality system with operational procedures, quality plans, and record-keeping was developed. As part of the quality system implementation process, the supplier’s team members were trained on programs related to quality, food safety, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction. Post-assessment of the implemented quality system concluded that the supplier was prepared for their customer-required 3rd party assessment.
As a result of a comprehensive quality systems implementation, the supplier successfully complied with their customer’s and 3rd party quality and food safety requirements. The client’s quality and food safety programs are more robust, enabling customers to gain a higher level of confidence in their food safety programs and products.
