Whole Brain Consulting Adds Quality Assurance Specialist to Team, Michelle Muse

7/31/2018

Michelle Muse joined Whole Brain Consulting in June of 2018 after working in Quality Assurance and Product Development departments and in GFSI certification in a major certification body. With over 15 years’ experience in the food industry and has a B.S degree in Food Science from UC Davis and a M.S. degree in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michelle brings a wealth of knowledge to our clients.

Michelle has spent most of her career working for QSR and Fast Casual Restaurant Chains, managing food safety and quality at both the restaurants and the contract manufacturers for up to 5,000 locations. Not only is she a certified SQF Auditor in 15 categories, an IFS Logistics Auditor and an IFS Consultant, Michelle is also a FSPCA Lead Instructor, teaching classes in FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food and FSMA Foreign Supplier Verification Programs.

Her latest focus has been on conducting certification audits and assisting clients with SQF, IFS and BRC implementation and audit preparation and FSMA plan development. Her extensive experience auditing, training and consulting (domestically and internationally) greatly benefits the Whole Brain Consulting clientele.

We asked Michelle to tell us a little about herself so our clients know what services and expertise are available through Whole Brain Consulting.

Q: What is your role at WBC?

A: I am a quality assurance expert.

Q: Over the past 15 years, what have you learned about the industry that Whole Brain Consulting clients may find surprising and useful?

A: When you are sourcing ingredients, you must ensure the vendors are controlling the hazards. Review the food safety plan or HACCP plans and make sure the CCPs or preventive controls make sense and are being applied to what you are purchasing. Sometimes CCPs or preventive controls are only applied at the customer’s request. That is not necessarily right but it happens quite frequently.

I also recommend reviewing a potential ingredient vendor’s and/or co-packer’s environmental monitoring program and allergen program before purchasing from them or producing product. Allergens and pathogens are the two biggest root causes of food product recalls. Many facilities have just started implementing these programs within the last year or two with FSMA, so gaps exist in the industry. It is not safe to assume all facilities have established (and are adhering to) environmental and allergen monitoring programs.

Q: When teaching classes in FSMA Preventive Controls for Human Food and FSMA Foreign Supplier Verification Programs, what did you focus on that may be helpful to Whole Brain Consulting clients?

A: I presented real examples and scenarios from the industry, and we determined which type of preventive controls would apply to each facility. We focused on controlling hazards instead of passing the hazards down the supply chain.

Q: What was your favorite project thus far?

A: I really enjoyed working with a hot sauce client to help them gain IFS certification.

Q: What do you wish clients knew (that they usually don’t)? Pitfalls to avoid? Precautions to take?

A: Many clients don’t realize it can take several years to implement a GFSI program or system. While a program can be put together in a couple of months if a facility works diligently, the real work comes in maintaining it year after year. The second year is often the hardest for a GFSI audit. Also, it is so important to have back-up employees for key roles. Quality programs can really suffer if a key employee leaves the company. Knowledge should be documented and shared.

Q: What do you think the future of quality assurance holds?

A: Manufacturing is going to move towards more automation with robotics and less hands-on work. Also quality assurance will rely more on digital tools and electronic programs and databases.

Q: What sets Whole Brain Consulting apart from the competition?

A: Whole Brain Consulting handles all aspects of supply chain management instead of only providing quality assurance guidance. Also, the sourcing of co-manufactures and co-packers is an important service for smaller companies and start-ups.

In need of food quality control procedures advice or protocol development? Give us a call or fill out a contact form to discuss food quality control procedures and food industry quality assurance services today.