Cindy Jiang

Food safety: The Root Cause Headlines frequently report foodborne illnesses and recalls, prompting many business leaders to wonder what they need to do to prevent it happening to their company. When problems occur, investigators conduct a root cause analysis – don’t let that investigation lead to the top. Building a strong food safety culture is commonly discussed but difficult to implement and measure. It’s challenging to know when you’ve succeeded, and easiest to see when you’ve failed. While a piece of equipment may have harbored a food safety hazard, the underlying reason often points to reactive, not proactive, food safety systems. Finding balance in food production is difficult as there is always more to do and not enough time to get it done. However, one of the cheapest investments ever made will be one that prevents costly recalls and outbreaks. Risk-based is a ubiquitous term used in the food safety industry, and we have spent decades building an infrastructure of audits, programs and testing to support this concept. Despite broad efforts, outbreaks and recalls continue to occur, raising questions about whether the infrastructure needs some additional refinement. Prevention-based food safety recognizes that current efforts will never be enough. While food safety audits and programs are building blocks for risk-based systems, prevention-focused food safety requires active selection for constant deviation to reduce risk. Do we favor deviations in audits and processes? Generally, not. Reflecting on failures in past events and thorough root cause analysis, we need to design systems that favor the right type of deviation. Passing an audit and not deviating from current food safety programs will not naturally lead to a system that iteratively identifies risk-reduction activities. Continuous improvement toward the right type of deviation is essential. Today’s goal? Be better than yesterday. Western Growers Science is hosting a Management Strategies for Food Safety workshop on November 12, 2024, in Salinas Calif. This workshop offers vital insights into the qualifications necessary for food safety roles, the scientific principles behind food safety and the delicate balance between regulatory adherence and production goals. Register at the link below. https://lnkd.in/gihgngYc #foodsafety #foodsafetyculture #microbiology #leadership #freshprodcue #culture Western Growers

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Want to learn more about formulating functional foods and beverages with Ashwagandha? I have the distinct pleasure of talking about KSM-66 Ashwagandha at IFT FIRST, Monday at 2 pm on the IFT Business FIRST Stage. Come learn more about the multiple health benefits of this ayurvedic herb and add a touch of relaxation to your next formulation! #ashwagandha #KSM66 #functionalfoods #functionalbeverages #foodscience #IFT #IFTFIRST

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Stay Ahead of the Curve: Key Insights from Global Food Recall Trends 2024 With recalls on the rise, enhancing your risk management strategies is crucial. The 2024 Global Food Recall Trends report highlights the growing challenges across the industry. Now is the time to review your safety protocols and ensure your business is ready to prevent costly disruptions. #FoodSafety #RecallPrevention #RiskManagement #SupplyChainResilience #ConsumerProtection

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Interesting article by Food Safety Magazine on Food Safety Practices in Response to Growth in Fresh Prepared Foods #FoodSafetyMagazine #foodsafety (free sub. required): https://t.co/OuqOhgiii9

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Today I am looking forward to continuing the conversation on ecosystem of the future: what are the challenges of the future and how do we collaborate to solve them - TOGETHER!!! our very own Rene Lammers will be joined by a distinguished panel representing key leaders across the ecosystem to tackle these questions!! join us at 1:45 pm in S100 #iftfirst2024 #ift #scienceoffood #collaboration #iftfirst

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Looking forward to next week's Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Board Meeting in Chicago. It is a good opportunity to check in with my peers elsewhere in the industry and see what else has been happening out there. Sometimes I can get a little siloed working with folks to understand more about the food industry that I forget that it is a living, breathing, evolving entity. The portion of the industry that comes up the most often proving this point is the coman landscape and the ever shifting sands of coman capabilities (what they make) and capacity (if they have any free line time to make things). Considering that most comans will change one or both of these every 6-12 months, it is a constant effort to check in with them and update whether they are ready to work with our clients - large or small. Once found, coman relationships have to be developed, contracts signed, and trust built before the desired business outcomes come to pass. We help clients with this process frequently. This is why we know about operational and technical commercialization - aka manifesting the product into reality at a financially meaningful level. For this reason, we know what is happening from a trend perspective at this crucial juncture as well. Let me know if this information would be significant to your organization.

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Establishing and sustaining a robust #foodsafety culture is paramount, with positive implications for consumer health, regulatory adherence, and brand credibility. 🍴 Francine Shaw, CP-FS, FMP, CEO at Savvy Food Safety, Inc., details how to build a strong food safety culture across the food #supplychain at the #linkbelow! ⤵️

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Today, June 7th, is World Food Safety Day. The theme this year is "Food safety: prepare for the unexpected," and the World Health Organization hopes that this theme will emphasize the importance of being prepared for food safety incidents, no matter how mild or severe they can be. Food safety incidents happen for any number of reasons, and so many people from policymakers and politicians to farmers, processors, and consumers play an important role in affecting food safety positively. In that vein, the International Association for Food Protection is offering open access to its webinar archives for the entire month of June to increase awareness about food safety. So, please check it out and see how many things you can learn, and if you aren't a member, consider joining as it is a great organization of food safety professionals with tremendous resources. Let's work together to create an even better food system for everyone. #foodsafety #worldfoodsafetyday #foodlaw #resources #webinar

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Since my talk at IFT, I've been seeing ashwaganda EVERYWHERE, even more so than what I did before. Could it be the next ingredient in our longevity toolkit? This article says yes! Review reveals benefits of ashwagandha on 'inflammaging' https://buff.ly/4c8V97E

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Food Waste is a HUGE problem! Good food should never go to waste, and we need to make sure nutrition ends up where it was intended to go. Join us for a free webinar on the TRUE costs of food waste. #foodsafety #sustainability #foodwaste #foodandbeverage #nutrition #USDA #regenerative #hunger Western Growers Western Growers Science https://lnkd.in/eiJHsgiS

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The FDA's Food Traceability Rule introduced the Traceability Lot Code (TLC) as a critical element for identifying specific food items on the Food Traceability List. By assigning a unique TLC to each "traceability lot," the rule aims to expedite outbreak investigations. As defined in the regulations (21 CFR 1.1310) “traceability lot” is a term that encompasses a batch or lot of food that undergoes specific events: initial packing for raw agricultural commodities, first land-based receiving for seafood, or transformation. However, the definition itself doesn't clarify the precise meaning of "batch" or "lot." While the Traceability Rule provides a broad framework, other FDA regulations for dietary supplements, drugs, medical devices, and biologics can offer instructive, more specific definitions of "batch" or "lot": Dietary Supplements (21 CFR 111.3): A batch signifies a specific quantity produced under a single manufacturing record, ensuring consistent characteristics. Drugs (21 CFR 210.3(b)(2) & (10)): A batch refers to a uniform quantity produced under a single order. "Lot" can be a portion of a batch or a continuous process output with consistent quality. Biologics (21 CFR 600.3(x)): A lot signifies a uniform material thoroughly mixed in a single vessel by the manufacturer. Medical Devices (21 CFR 801.3 & 820.3(m)): Lot/Batch refers to finished devices or components with the same type, model, composition, etc., manufactured under similar conditions and intended to have consistent quality. So, what does this mean for food packers and processors? As you assign TLCs under the Food Traceability Rule, you will need consider your specific production processes and develop clear definitions for "batch" or "lot" for your facility. For example, if you pack identical jars of peanut butter from a single mixing vat, that vat's output could be considered a single "traceability lot" for TLC assignment. Alternatively, if you process tomatoes along a continuous production line, you might define smaller, time-based segments as your "traceability lots" for TLC purposes. The key takeaway is to ensure your chosen definition aligns with your existing practices and allows for clear identification of specific food quantities within your facility. A clearly written definition of "batch" or "lot" will ultimately contribute to a more robust and efficient food traceability strategy. #FSMA204 #Traceability #Lot #Batch

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Climate change is impacting the availability of high quality coffee around the world. Farmers and farming communities are feeling the impact on productivity, quality, and livelihoods. For many years, Starbucks has supported coffee farmers through leading edge agronomy research at Hacienda Alsacia, the farm we own in Costa Rica. We have distribued 90 million climate-resistant coffee trees and 53 million coffee seedlings to farmers. We have established a network of 10 Farmer Support Centers in coffee growing regions to support farmers with more sustainable growing practices. Today, we are thrilled to share that Starbucks is expanding our coffee innovation network, adding two new coffee innovation farms – one in Guatemala and another in Costa Rica, with future farm investments in Africa and Asia. These farms will enable us to expand our agronomy research to the three main coffee growing regions to better address the threat that climate change poses to coffee. In December, we will also break ground on a new sustainabilty learning and innovation lab at Hacienda Alsacia, where we will share these innovations with the world. #coffee #sustainability #climatechange https://lnkd.in/gfNdAGKD

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