Leading Food Safety Through Standards And Strategy

Michael Coley, Food Safety & Quality Manager, Symrise AG

Michael Coley is a seasoned food safety and Quality manager with deep expertise spanning regulatory compliance, operation and sanitation, manufacturing, etc. Early in his career, he gained hands-on experience that shaped a system-level understanding of food safety. He has led the standardization of protocols across multiple sites and fostered a strong sense of compliance with the evolution of regulatory frameworks like FSMA and GFSI systems. Passionate about the industry, he advocates for integrating science, regulation and emerging technologies to build future-ready food safety programs.

Early in my career, I had the opportunity to have a Quality Technical Specialist role, which made it possible for me to engage with all facets of the food manufacturing business. I gained handson experience across key functions, including food safety, regulatory compliance, operations and sanitation, etc. This experience gave me a wellrounded view of manufacturing, enabled me to view situations from multiple perspectives and gain experience in areas typically beyond the scope of traditional quality assurance roles.

In this role, I was able to interact with senior leadership, customers, suppliers and federal and state regulatory authorities. Through collaboration with a wide array of internal and external partners, I developed a comprehensive, big-picture understanding of food safety and compliance. These experiences established the basis for how I would approach future roles throughout my career. Also, the evolution of FSMA and GFSI systems played a huge role in the growth and development of my career. The emergence of these two entities pushed the entire industry to either evolve with them or risk falling behind. Embracing these changes not only challenged me but also played a key role in my growth and development as a food safety professional.

Aligning Standards Across States

The key to aligning these requirements is standardization of your core food safety, quality and regulatory policies and procedures. The internal safety guidelines should be driven by a combination of regulatory requirements and global food safety standards. Focus on creating a robust, harmonized food safety management system that integrates local regulations with global standards such as GFSI (e.g., SQF, BRCGS) and Codex Alimentarius. Customer requirements should be considered as well. This involves establishing clear policies and procedures that meet or exceed regulatory and global standards, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, conducting internal audits and gap assessments to assure uniformity and providing training and knowledge sharing between sites to ensure compliance.

"Remember- food safety is a non-negotiable priority. The reputational and financial damage from a recall far exceeds the cost of doing it right the first time"

One of the most pressing challenges I’m currently facing is the rapidly evolving landscape of regulatory compliance. Regulatory frameworks such as FSMA continue to evolve, particularly with more stringent traceability and recordkeeping requirements under Section 204. At the same time, agencies like the FDA and USDA are shifting their inspectional expectations, which creates a moving target for compliance, especially if you're managing multiple facilities or suppliers across different authorities. I believe in taking a proactive approach by-

1.Standardization across Sites: Harmonize food safety and quality protocols across all facilities to ensure we meet or exceed both domestic and global standards. This also helps streamline audits and maintain consistency.

2. Digital Tools and Supplier Management: Invest in digital systems that support traceability, automate documentation and strengthen supplier verification— especially critical considering FSMA’s traceability rule.

3. Build a Culture of Compliance: Beyond systems and processes, compliance is also cultural. Prioritize food safety and regulatory awareness through regular training, crossfunctional alignment and leadership engagement. Creating a shared understanding of why compliance matters— beyond just meeting legal requirements—helps empower personnel at every level of the operation.

Meeting Compliance with Proactive Strategy

Technologies like real-data monitoring, predictive analytics and automation are driving a shift toward smarter, more adaptive food safety systems. They not only improve regulatory compliance but also encourage transparency, build customer trust and support a culture of continuous improvement. As adoption grows, I believe food companies that embrace digital transformation will be better positioned to manage risk, meet global standards and remain competitive in fast-changing industries. We are already seeing the importance and value of using AI in all industry as well, so we must learn to embrace it and learn how to use it as an advantage in the present and going forward.

Looking forward, the first piece of advice I would offer to young food safety professionals would be to build a strong foundation in both science and regulation. Understanding microbiology, food chemistry, HACCP, sanitation and regulatory frameworks like FSMA or GFSI schemes is important. Stay curious and adaptive, as rules and risks are ever evolving. You must cultivate a strong food safety culture. A system is only as good as the people who are operating it. Engage people at every level and create an environment where food safety is a shared responsibility across the board. Always remember that you are a representative of the consumer, your customer, at your facility, so prepare to make tough decisions that may be unpopular with coworkers, including leadership.

Remember, food safety is a non-negotiable priority. The reputational and financial damage from a recall far exceeds the cost of doing it right the first time. Be collaborative- the best food safety professionals work cross-functionally with operations, R&D, maintenance, etc. Learn to speak their language and align food safety goals with business priorities. And finally, stay connected to the industry. Join professional networks, attend conferences and follow trends in regulation, technology and consumer expectations, because the more connected you are, the more prepared you can be. We must be able to bridge science, systems and leadership—and adapt to what’s coming next.