Dr. Chris Jackson

What has been your main involvement in food safety professionally?

I worked for three global companies in the food sector and gained a good deal of experience in project management, food safety and sourcing, then decided in 2005 to set up my own interim technical business.I have worked as an interim technical manager/director for several food companies mainly based in the UK.This work has covered all aspects of food safety from legislation, food safety science, training and its implementation in factories.

The understanding of food safety, by senior management and employees, and its implementation in factories, is very important.Everyone must understand why they carry out food safety procedures correctly and the consequences of what is likely to happen should they go wrong.Failures can then be highlighted as soon as possible rather than waiting in the hope that problems will correct themselves!It is hugely important that senior and middle management establish the work environment to encourage all employees to report issues, without any repercussions to them as individuals, should they have a made a genuine mistake.I have always found it beneficial to go into the factory and talk with colleagues over particular issues, whether this is during a day shift or, importantly, during night shifts and weekend activities.You must be confident that food safety is working in a business all of the time: 24 hours of every day, 365 days a year.

I have worked with several businesses developing Listeria environmental plans.This has been, and will continue to be, a very important part of food safety management for high care/high risk, short shelf life products.Listeria monocytogenes recalls in the UK, and recent significant issues in other countries, underline the importance of developing Listeria environmental plans so that the sources of this pathogen, in factories, can be identified, targeted and then eradicated.

How have you obtained the skills necessary to support your successful involvement with food safety?

I have gained the skills by working with some great technical, quality and production managers over the years, in a range of businesses.  There is also significant knowledge with equipment suppliers that is important.  This, combined with formal courses on food safety, hygiene and allergen management, have been an important part of my continual professional development.  The discussions with other technical and quality personnel on their perspectives, on formally taught courses, can significantly enhance a course and its content. 

However, once the formal learning has been completed, the key is the implementation of the knowledge in a factory environment so that management and employees understand the reasons for changes and, importantly, ensure that they practice these procedures all the time.  It is essential to explain to all personnel the reasons for changes and continued enhancements to food safety protocols.  Food safety is a continuous challenge.  Our knowledge improves all the time, from academic research, product recalls and withdrawals. 

Continuous professional development helps everyone working in food safety management to understand that this is a dynamic and continually developing field; it does not stand still.

The support and encouragement of colleagues in IFST has been excellent over the last few years.  The use of the IFST continuous professional development portal has been an important part of my business and gives both manufacturers and retailers confidence that I am continually updating my professional development.

How have you seen food safety management change over time?

There is an increasing awareness that senior management must be involved in food safety, that they must understand the principles of food safety, support their technical management with respect to food safety decisions, and continually monitor the status of key food safety parameters.  This monitoring of the status of food safety is not an annual event, or just when there is an issue, but is continuous; daily, weekly, monthly. 

Another area of change is understanding the supply chain to ensure the authenticity, traceability and mass balance for key raw materials and ingredients.  As food manufacturers, we must understand all parts of the supply chain and in particular to be curious about the stages in the supply chain where product adulteration and substitution could take place.  There is some very exciting work being carried out, by some research institutes, on isotope labelling of foods which will allow manufacturers to identify the geographical area from which a material originates.  Also, there is some interesting work looking at the quality of materials using hand held NIR spectroscopy and uploading/sharing information through a smart phone.  Another important area is allergen labelling, ensuring that the right product is put into the correct package.  The increasing use of barcode and vision systems will continue in this area as manufacturers must try and eliminate related recalls and ‘near misses’.

I have also noticed changes in the age profile of technical management over the last 10 years.  This may be more apparent in the chilled food sector but we all have a duty to highlight the benefits and challenges of working in the food industry to anyone who will listen.  When you show children and students the range of foods that are produced, how they are produced and the steps in the supply chain to deliver products to shelves, they are constantly amazed.  Let’s spread the word and be enthusiastic about the food industry.

What changes would you like to see with respect to an industry-wide approach to food safety management?

I would like to see audits carried out by third party auditors to be really valued by businesses and used as part of their continuous improvement.  Too often businesses regard third party audits as a ‘tick box’ exercise; get the auditor in and out and get the certificate, rather than a tool for continuous improvement to really move the business forward.  Auditors must be rewarded properly to perform audits and be allowed to have the time to carry out audits effectively.  They must spend sufficient time in the factory, across shifts, to understand and challenge what they witness within the scope of the standard being audited.  This would put the emphasis on auditors to carry out effective audits and also onto programmes such as British Retail Consortium (BRC) compliance, to ensure the integrity of the schemes and the auditors are maintained.

Effective internal audits should be a key tool for food safety and quality continuous improvement.  Again, I have seen that too often, internal audits are a ‘tick-box’ exercise to show auditors that a particular standard has been covered, rather than challenged to ensure a standard is achieved.  Therefore, auditees and management should understand what they are doing to achieve the standard and why they are collecting key data and completing specific documentation.  Senior management must establish the environment where all employees understand the value of internal auditing and then act on the findings from the internal audits, in a timely manner, as this helps drive the integrity and continuous improvements in the business.