This podcast episode discusses how to effectively manage a food crisis, focusing on requirements from BRC, FSSC 22000, and IFS standards. The speaker explains how to identify, block, and manage affected products, outlines necessary communication strategies, and explores potential consequences.
According to the podcast, the BRC standard defines "withdrawal" as removing an affected product that is not yet in the hands of the consumer, while "recovery" refers to removing a product that has already reached the consumer. The IFS standard uses these terms in the opposite way: "recovery" is for products already with consumers, and "withdrawal" is for products still in the distribution chain and not yet with consumers.
According to the video, the three types of food contamination discussed are:
Microbial contamination: Examples include pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.
Chemical contamination: Examples include pesticide residues, heavy metals, and mycotoxins.
Physical contamination: Examples include foreign bodies such as glass, metal, and plastic.
According to the video, a company's food crisis management team should include:
Team Leader: Coordinates the team, makes strategic decisions, communicates with upper management, ensures team members fulfill their roles, and oversees corrective and preventive actions.
Quality/Food Safety Manager: Evaluates the scope and severity of the problem, coordinates investigations to identify the root cause, collaborates with labs and certification bodies, and acts as a liaison.
Production Manager: Implements product blocks, suspends production if necessary, ensures production integrity, provides technical information about involved processes, and coordinates with quality and shift leaders.
Logistics and Storage Manager: Ensures correct identification and segregation of affected products in the warehouse, manages product traceability, coordinates product withdrawal and recovery, and blocks product distribution.
Communication Manager: Manages communication with the press, target audiences (customers, consumers), and social media.
Legal Counsel: Advises on legal implications, ensures regulatory compliance, and prepares legal documents.
Customer Service Manager: Manages customer complaints and inquiries, provides information to consumers, coordinates returns, and focuses on customer satisfaction.
Human Resources Manager: Manages the team, ensures internal communication, keeps personnel informed, and prevents internal crises.
The speaker notes that not all roles may be necessary in every company, and some individuals may hold multiple roles, depending on the size and structure of the organization.
According to the video, designing a format for recording crisis management data should include sections to register:
Nature of the problem: This section identifies the type of contamination (chemical, microbial, physical) or other issue (e.g., labeling error, fraud). This allows for identification of the affected product and facilitates a complete traceability exercise.
Test and analysis results: This records all tests and analyses performed on the affected product.
Date and time of problem identification: Precise timing is crucial.
Affected lot(s): Specifies the number of lots affected, production and expiration dates of those lots, and total quantity of the affected product.
Distribution details: This section is vital for traceability, outlining the distribution of the affected product.
Notification of health authorities: The speaker suggests pre-designed notification formats for faster data entry, to avoid improvisation. This includes formats for both health authorities and consumers/clients. The speaker recommends the format be collaboratively designed by the communications and legal departments.
The speaker emphasizes that meticulous records are crucial for effective crisis management and compliance with food safety regulations. They will be requested during audits.
Marife Montes' video concludes with a summary of the minimum sections a crisis management procedure should contain:
Team Identification: Defining the crisis management team, their roles, and training.
Withdrawal/Recovery Guidelines: Establishing procedures for product withdrawal and recovery, including assessment of problem nature, severity, and magnitude.
Contact List: Maintaining an updated list of key contacts (clients, suppliers, authorities).
Communication Plan: Outlining a clear communication strategy for various stakeholders.
External Support: Including contact information for external support (labs, consultants, legal).
Logistics Plan: Detailing the logistics for product traceability, recovery, and disposal.
Timeline/Checklist: Establishing a timeline and checklist for key activities.
Root Cause Analysis and Evaluation: Conducting a root cause analysis and evaluating the effectiveness of the crisis management process.
Montes encourages viewers to review their own procedures to ensure these minimum aspects are covered. She promotes her website for a more detailed checklist and notes that BRC, IFS, and FSSC 22000 standards require regular (at least annual) testing of the crisis management procedure through simulations. Finally, she emphasizes the importance of notifying certification bodies within three days of any real crisis event and, within 21 days (as per BRC standards), communicating how the crisis was resolved.
