Su Zhang, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Innocent Drinks
How did you start your career in the food industry and what motivated you to join?
I have always loved food, it was the motivation for me to complete a BSc in Food Science in China. Then I came to the UK and completed an MSc in Food Science. Why? I wanted to explore the world of cheese in Europe. My first role was as a food technologist at a fairly big gourmet food importer and distributor in London. It was a fascinating world for me, as there were special foods and ingredients from all over the world.
How did you decide on regulatory affairs (RA)?
After 3 years as a food technologist in quality assurance, I was contacted by a recruitment consultant about an opportunity for a regulatory advisor role, which was a new area I wanted to explore. Quality assurance is linked to regulatory compliance aspects; also, I enjoyed reading through legislation, finding answers, and communicate them to different audience.
Would you choose to go into the same field again?
Yes, it is an exciting and fulfilling role. I have worked in global regulatory affairs for over 12 years now: 7 years as a consultant and 5 years as a regulatory affairs manager. As a consultant, I worked on many different food products across a wide range of subjects and jurisdictions, including the UK/EU, Asia, Australia, and America. As a regulatory manager, the role is more focused on specific products with greater depth. I have really enjoyed the process of applying legislation to business practice by creating policy documents and training, and working with different departments, e.g. R&D and marketing. As such, it requires a strong combination of technical knowledge and soft skills.
What is the main purpose of regulatory affairs to you?
The main purpose of regulatory affairs is to help businesses find solutions for regulatory compliance, enter new markets, and protect consumers from harmful food and misleading information. In addition to compliance with existing legislation, there is also advocacy, e.g. getting involved in shaping new policies and helping businesses mitigate emerging risks.
Why did you join IFST and how did you get involved in the Food Regulatory Special Interest Group (SIG)?
I am passionate about food regulatory affairs, join the Food Regulatory SIG provides a great opportunity to exchange idea with people working in similar field. Also, it is great to be involved in helping wider food industry.
What do you think the next big challenges are for industry in the next few years?
Climate change is the next big challenge for the food industry, since food is mainly produced from agricultural products. There will be more focus on sustainability, the regulatory affairs role may evolve around it as well.
How do you think regulatory affairs will change in the next 10 years?
With the use of AI, some manual compliance and research work will be reduced. Also, language barriers will be greatly reduced. I work in a global regulatory environment and need to refer to legislation in several different languages on a daily basis. However, as a regulatory professional, the key skill, i.e. critical thinking, will be even more crucial in the future. Overall, I think it will be even more exciting to work in regulatory affairs.