President’s Message
President’s Message
Spring 2011
It is an honor and a pleasure to become the new president for the Metropolitan Association for Food Protection. My involvement with MAFP goes back 13 years, and my entire career in food safety spans 24 years in regulatory and industry. In all those years, I’ve gained a wealth of technical and scientific knowledge, but the one thing I can hang my hat on is the increased level of confidence I’ve developed by understanding risk and being prepared. Yes, that long standing Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” can make a big difference in crisis situations, especially a foodborne illness outbreak. Whether you are a regulator, QA manager or owner/ operator you need to have a strategy. Be ready to react and respond quickly and confidently in knowing what to do, who to contact, what to test and how to communicate to the media.
Ask yourself these questions:
How likely is it to occur?
How bad will it be?
What should be done?
What if I wait?
Is there a risk to the brand?
Is there a difference between what is real and what is perceived?
Should I seek other’s opinions and not rely on my own perspective?
I am fortunate to have learned from some of my peers’ experiences, and Darden’s process-based approach to any crisis has been invaluable in my development as a food safety professional. It goes without saying that America’s food safety awareness levels are at an apex. People know that Salmonella could be in their cookie dough. The federal government’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which was signed into law in January, is the most sweeping overhaul of the Food Safety Program since 1938. Key items that affect food manufacturers, such as increased inspection frequency, expanded records access and mandatory recall authority amongst other key points are already in place. With the internet and increased media attention consumers are more knowledgeable and wary than ever before. We should never doubt or minimize a single consumer’s complaint of a foodborne illness. People’s lives depend on us. Have a strategy, and be prepared.
Does your perception of food safety impact the choices of what and where you eat?
David ReydaMAFP President
