The CDC estimates nearly 50 million foodborne illness cases occur in the United States annually. Most foodborne illnesses are caused by improperly prepared food, and there are many different illnesses to watch out for.
Some of the most infamous diseases in human history are foodborne, including E. Coli, Typhoid, Cholera, and many others. People have developed ways to treat these conditions, but most of them are geared toward prevention.
Following proper safety standards when preparing food is vital and will save you from illness, not to mention a lawsuit. A food safety consultant is a great resource to have on hand in any company that handles food. We'll offer some advice on finding the best food safety consultant in this article.
1. Look at Work Experience
While it isn't absolutely vital for a food safety consultant to have work experience. Everybody has to start somewhere.
Being a food safety consultant is a very high-risk job. An experienced worker will be more secure in their role. The education programs for food safety consultants are quite thorough and continuing education is required to maintain many credentials.
Be sure to ask about their work experience and training during interviews because food safety consultants have many different responsibilities. They do everything from inspecting kitchens, developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), helping instill Active Manager Control (AMC) and training managers/ employees the food safety standards.
2. Consider Reputation
If this isn't the person's first job as a food safety consultant, look into their history. What work have they done? What positions have they held and how long have they been performing the work.
How long has the company existed and what is their reputation in the industry? Does the company keep on top of the latest information? Food safety continually adjusts and stives to make improvements so it is important that the consultant and company is active in organizations that continually improve themselves.
3. Check Certifications
A qualified food safety consultant should have some training, certifications and/or credentials. One may be that they are HACCP certified and are accepted by the International HACCP Alliance. This particular organization is an international accepted program that sets standards for persons to become accepted by the International HACCP Alliance after review of their history.
There are many certifications and credentials so it is important to find out that the consultant has the training, education and experience to assist you with your needs. Any consultant would be more than willing to send you their Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume to demonstrate their work history, training and education.
How to Choose a Food Safety Consultant
One of the cornerstones of any food-based business is proper food safety standards. These days, food safety is regulated by several agencies, including the HACCP Alliance.
Making sure the regulations are properly understood and followed often falls on the shoulders of a food safety consultant to help you understand what you need to do to get into and remain in compliance. We've discussed a few tips for finding the right food safety consultant for your business in this article, but you can never be too prepared.
Training shouldn't be something that happens just once. We encourage you to read up on the importance of ongoing food safety training for your employees.