Food Safety and Quality Solutions

Regina Jacintha Joseph, president and founder of Food Safety and Quality Solutions (FSQS), has a clear mission—to educate businesses on risk assessment, management, and mitigation, with a focus on quality and food safety. Drawing upon her expertise in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean Islands, she founded the consultancy to help organizations from the food, beverage, pet food, storage and distribution, and packaging industries.

Throughout her career, she has helped companies adhere to GFSI-approved schemes and ISO standards, assisting them with documentation processes and comprehensive training programs. From gaining hands-on manufacturing experience from “Farm to Falk” to establishing a food safety and quality consultancy, her journey is a testament to her commitment to transforming the sector.

“My teaching methodology focuses on ensuring clients have a comprehensive understanding of their business risks,” says Joseph.

She utilizes her 19 years of auditing, consulting, and training experience in the food industry to adeptly transform complex topics into understandable concepts, catering to a wide range of expertise. Her proficiency includes conducting BRCGS Lead auditor training programs and internal auditor training, which she honed through hands-on experience with renowned schemes like SQF, FSSC, and BRCGS and soon to be IFS.

Joseph’s unique approach to internal auditor training effectively bridges the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application in factory environments. Through this she equips FSQS to offer customized food safety training to organizations, helping them mitigate risks related to food safety and quality. This strategy, a cornerstone of FSQS's success, fills a critical gap in the practical competence identified globally by certification bodies and scheme owners.

Joseph's extensive industry experience enables FSQS to provide unparalleled support, both on-site and blended (remote), to businesses in urgent need of food safety and quality solutions. Her adeptness in navigating food safety issues enables the firm to collaborate with its clients for preventing product recalls, maintaining operational integrity, and safeguarding consumer trust. Amidst industry challenges like food fraud and the rise of unreliable material sources, FSQS ensures businesses implement robust process controls that are aligned with rigorous retailer requirements, consumer expectations, and regulatory standards as per the GFSI-approved schemes. In addition, to remain competitive, FSQS facilitates technological innovation by assisting companies secure the funding for new technologies or equipment upgrades, conduct assessments for funding eligibility, and advocate for government support, thereby ensuring access to timely grants.

Joseph emphasizes, "Our mission is to offer affordable and efficient solutions to help businesses make necessary improvements."

However, aligning the workforce with new technologies presents a challenge in the food industry, given the risks of an untrained, multicultural workforce, high turnover, and labour shortages. In this regard, FSQS fosters effective communication within the organization to overcome language barriers and enhance productivity and job security. Establishing a culture of quality and food safety is vital for navigating these challenges and technological advancements. FSQS promotes this culture, leading to improved operations, reduced risks, and increased revenue.

Success stories like Joseph's highlight the impact of motivating employees toward excellence. Developing a robust food safety and quality culture among frontline employees is crucial for taking ownership of processes, mitigating risks, and fostering continual improvement. FSQS integrates all employees into this culture, encouraging ownership and responsibility. This comprehensive strategy is required to tackle daily challenges and ensure business success.

Encouraging operators to assume responsibility for production, quality, and support processes is vital. Empowering employees with essential skills reduces errors, decreases rework costs, and boosts productivity. FSQS plays a pivotal role in building employee motivation, confidence, and communication skills to effectively meet the objectives their roles entail. Consequently, conducting gap assessments aligned with GFSI standards is critical for manufacturers striving for certification, identifying food safety hazards, and assessing overall business risks.

A noteworthy example is when Joseph guides her clients through gap assessments, which is a crucial step toward achieving GFSI certification. She actively engages clients in the process, providing them with valuable insights that enable them to identify and understand gaps, their causes, and the corrective actions needed. This empowerment leads them to develop their procedures, promoting independence from external consultants.

Joseph also recognizes organizations' challenges with data management, particularly in tracking and tracing ingredients through the manufacturing stages to delivery. The adoption of digital record-keeping enhances traceability and supports informed decision-making. By digitizing quality and food safety systems in collaboration with a patented software developer, she helps organizations become "learning organizations." This transformation allows for the effective use of data related to issues, hazards, challenges, discrepancies, customer feedback, and complaints, facilitating the implementation of corrective actions and showcasing continuous improvement.

With an extensive knowledge of environmental, occupational health and safety, and automotive industry standards, Joseph brings a unique and systematic approach to data management. Her collaboration with the software developer also provides organizations, especially those with significant agency workers, with a system that delivers real-time business risk insights, enabling swift, informed decisions by management.

Joseph's visionary leadership at Food Safety and Quality Solutions has made her a dynamic force that addresses the industry's most pressing challenges. Her comprehensive approach goes beyond solving problems to bridge competence gaps, foster resilient food safety cultures, and innovatively tackle data management issues. Through her contributions, the firm aims to create a healthier, more sustainable, and higher-quality food supply for the future. In the relentless pursuit of excellence, Joseph and her team constantly set new standards, ensuring a transformative impact on the food industry.