Consultative Report

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curriculum icon Curriculum/Training Development
woman holding a book icon Consultative Report
book icon Review of the Literature
magnifying icon Research Paper

Cost-Benefit Analysis on Utilizing Top Ice as a Cooling Method for Produce Within the Supply Chain

( John R. Foster ) 2022 Mather Award Winner

Cooling raw agricultural commodities (RAC) during transportation has been shown to significantly increase product quality and shelf life. However, when a company is choosing which cooling system to implement, the associated costs must also be considered while maintaining food safety standards. The objective of this study was to provide Company A with a cost-benefit analysis of utilizing top ice on RAC during transport to cool and preserve the quality of various types of produce from vendors within their supply chain. A thorough review of company documents and current scientific literature related to cooling methods and pathogen reduction was conducted to assess the effectiveness of top ice cooling from both a food safety and cost-benefit perspective. Final recommendations to Company A included selective use of top-ice cooling for transporting specific produce within their supply chain and the expected cost-benefits of implementing these changes.

Addressing the Learning Needs of a Generationally Diverse Workforce to Strengthen Food Safety Training

( N. A. Lippard )

There are many challenges when developing an effective food safety training program for employees of a large, global manufacturer of ready-to-eat convenience foods. Of these, a rising problem is the potential differences in preferential learning styles associated with the various generations that comprise the modern employee base. Although factors such as culture and education have guided food safety training efforts in the past, there is very little consideration given to how generational diversity might affect the ability of this workforce to learn. To accurately assess these potential effects, it was necessary to determine the generations represented within the manufacturing workforce of the company, along with the preferential learning styles of individuals within each cohort group. Following the collection of generational data from the company’s human resource department and a thorough literature review of the learning preferences for the cohort groups represented, recommendations to strengthen food safety training based on the diverse learning needs were made. By implementing these recommendations, the expectation is that the company’s manufacturing workforce will have a better understanding of food safety within their respective duties, resulting in a more robust and reliable food safety program. 

Formalizing the Role of Private Food Safety Certification Schemes in Canadian Food Safety Control Systems

( C. Young ) 2017 Mather Award Winner Paper

Canadian food manufacturers are often certified against a private certification scheme (PCS) to enable the company to manage its resources according to the level of risk presented. Although the Canadian government recognizes the role that PCSs play in helping the food industry comply with food safety regulatory requirements, it falls short in formally integrating them into Canadian food safety control systems. This reluctance is most likely due to the challenges presented in a public-private partnership that can impact the integrity and reputation of both parties. However, streamlining the management of food safety activities by distributing responsibilities between the government and PCSs might eliminate many current redundancies and allow for the allocation of resources to high risk areas where they are needed most. A thorough review and analysis of the food safety system utilized by a global food manufacturer revealed that the benefits would far outweigh the potential issues of such a partnership. It is true that the formal integration of PCSs into Canadian food safety control systems may not be achievable in the near future, but conversations among various stakeholders, including government, academia, food industry and PCS organizations must continue to happen to fully leverage the food safety expertise that reside in these various fields a ion and improvement of food safety management practices.