Tag Archives: food safety consultants

Ask The Expert

Top Questions to Ask When Selecting Your Food Safety Consultant

By Jennifer Lott
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In the dynamic and complex food industry landscape, the role of a food safety consultant is crucial. They provide expert guidance, advice, and assistance to ensure food safety, hygiene, and compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Below are essential inquiries to ask your food safety consultant to ensure optimal results and mitigate potential risks and challenges.

  1. Are you familiar with our specific segment within the food industry? The food industry encompasses various sectors, each with unique challenges. Familiarity with your specific sector, such as dairies, bakeries, meat, confectionery, or packaging, will prove advantageous, allowing the food safety consultant to tailor their advice and solutions to your specific needs.
  2. Can you help develop and implement a robust food safety management system (FSMS)? An effective FSMS is key to ensuring the safety and quality of food products. You can gauge the consultant’s potential effectiveness by evaluating their ability to design and implement an FSMS based on relevant standards like HACCP or ISO 22000.
  3. How well-versed are you in risk analysis and hazard identification? The food chain has various potential hazards, from raw material sourcing to processing and distribution. The consultant needs expert knowledge in identifying potential risks and implementing measures to control them.
  4. How do you approach problem-solving when a food safety issue arises? Every consultant should have a systematic approach to mitigating food safety crises. This approach may incorporate principles from Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or Kaizen, which are methodologies for problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Selecting a food safety consultant requires careful consideration. By using some of these questions as a framework for objectively assessing potential candidates, you can confidently select a consultant who will provide the knowledge, expertise, and strategic guidance your operation requires. This proactive approach to food safety ensures the well-being of consumers, compliance with regulatory standards and the longevity and reputation of your brand.

Do you have a pressing issue but don’t know where to start? Let SGS help you meet customer expectations with our tailored solutions.

Koshal Ram and Ranjeet Klair

Acheson Group Expands into India

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Koshal Ram and Ranjeet Klair

The Acheson Group (TAG), a global food safety and public health consulting team led by David Acheson, MD, former FDA Associate Commissioner for Foods, has expanded its operations to India.

As part of the expansion, TAG brought on two new team members. Food Safety Specialist Koshal Ram has nearly three decades of experience working in low-acid agri-food manufacturing and has held technical and global leadership roles managing supply chain food safety and product quality with multiple companies. Ram has a diploma in Quality Assurance and ISO from the University of Chennai, India. He speaks four languages (English, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada) and is a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) and an FSVP Qualified Individual. He is trained in Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, ISO 2000 requirements, QAS validation and verification of HACCP Plans and QAS development and implementation of HACCP Plans, Acidified Food Manufacturing School (21CFR section 108.25(f) and 114.10) and FDA Acidified Foods.

Ranjeet Klair will work in conjunction with Ram at TAG India as Director of Food Safety. She brings more than two decades of industry experience working with Canadian, U.S. and global food retailers, production plants and certification bodies in food safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. Klair holds a Master of Science degree in Food Sciences, Master of Global Food Law (Jurisprudence) degree and a Bachelor of Applied Science and certification in International Food Laws and Regulations. Along with completing a certification program for International Food Laws and Regulations, she is a BRC, FSSC22000, HACCP, PCQI, FSVP trainer and BRC, SQF, FSSC, ISO 22000, Gluten-free, GMP and Canada GAP lead auditor.

As a key component of service to India, TAG will provide expertise and resources to assist exporters in food safety efforts and domestic and foreign standards and regulatory compliance.

“With TAG’s 10-year anniversary quickly approaching, we are excited to bring on valuable new TAG Team members who can help further expand our business to different areas of the world,” said Dr. Acheson, TAG CEO and President. “Ranjeet’s and Koshal’s expertise and ability to work onsite with clientele throughout India enables us to bring TAG support to India.”