Houda Reggad, Director of Quality Assurance at La Tourangelle, spoke to Torie about changes in the food safety and quality industry, practical strategies to foster a food safety culture, and what the future of the industry might hold.

Houda is speaking at the upcoming American Food Sure Summit in Atlanta,  25-27 March. You can book your spot here.

Houda’s career in food safety and quality has taken her around the world, from France to Morocco to California, where she now oversees the implementation and compliance of La Touragelle’s food safety and quality management systems. Houda’s passion for food safety began early on during her first “major opportunity” in the biscuit industry in Morocco, her home country. She recalls:

“From that job, I was really hooked on the impact I could have on the industry as a quality manager. I recognised the critical importance food safety plays, not just in regulatory compliance but in protecting the customers and brand trust.”

While Houda’s current goal at La Tourangelle is to “balance a proactive risk management strategy with continuous improvement that not only safeguards consumer trust, but also contributes to operational excellence and business profitability”, she recognises that the industry hasn’t always orientated itself around these aims.

As a result of investment in new technology, Houda has seen a noticeable “increase in proactive measures rather than reactive ones. The HACCPis all about listing possible risks and putting in place a plan to mitigate these, whereas when I began, the focus was entirely on addressing issues after they occurred."

However, Houda believes the most significant change is not technical, but cultural. “The shift towards a culture of food safety has been remarkable,” she says. “People recognise now that food safety isn’t just compliance, but it’s about embedding values and behaviours at every level of the organisation; a culture shift which has been essential in creating more sustainable and consumer focused products.”

Despite this progress, Houda explains that fostering a true food safety culture still remains a challenge, in particular when the supply chain is complex. The first step is to define food safety culture, for which “everyone has their own definition!”

“But from my experience,” continues Houda, “it is a culture where every individual in the organisation, from leadership to front-line employee, understands the importance of food safety, and feels empowered to uphold it in their daily work. It is about making food safety a shared value and not just a checklist.”

But how can this be achieved?

Houda identifies four key components to creating and nurturing a food safety culture: strong leadership, clear communication and feedback channels, consistent training and accountability at all levels. When faced in a previous role with the challenge of inconsistent food safety protocols during peak production periods, Houda recalls how “targeted training, real-time on the floor coaching and a new recognition program to celebrate good practice” all helped build a strong sense of accountability within the business.

Closely linked to the development of a strong food safety culture is employee engagement – a key issue for an industry which faces high turnover and struggles to attract and retain skilled talent.

In addition to recognising individual contributions, Houda suggests that increased investment in employee development and the creation of clear career pathways is required to improve retention within businesses. She also stresses the importance of building relationships between industry and universities/colleges to nurture future talent:

“I think we need to develop a pipeline of talent and strong partnerships with academic institutions to address long-term challenges. The industry should build stronger communication with these institutions so students who have degrees in food science or food technology have more knowledge about how to start their career in food safety.”

However, challenges facing the industry extend beyond just human factors. “Adapting to emerging risks like climate change, which will impact agricultural practices, the prevalence of certain pathogens and potentially cause mutations due to increased temperatures” are just one problem the industry will have to tackle in coming years.

She adds: “Sustainability will also be a top priority, with a focus on reducing food waste, adapting eco-friendly packaging and addressing the environmental impact of the food production. This demand will come from consumers who will push the companies to provide more details about sourcing, production practices and ingredient origins.”

However, food safety culture remains Houda’s top priority for the future, hoping for “a stronger emphasis on this across the whole supply chain around the world” – turning food safety into a core value rather than a compliance requirement.

You can hear Houda share more on this topic at the American Food Sure Summit – click here to book your place.