Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, foreign object contamination, and other food safety incidents are top of mind for snack and bakery professionals, or anyone working in food and beverage production. When such problems are not properly addressed, or if they keep happening again and again the consequences can be costly—or even deadly.
During “Got Root Cause?” an interactive workshop at the 2023 Food Safety Summit (taking place in Rosemont, IL, May 8–11), experts from an array of producers, government agencies, and consulting firms offered insights into the benefits of root cause analysis (RCA). The concept champions the idea of emphasizing tools and techniques that get to the core of a problem to address true causes, rather than relying on quick fixes that don't provide a more effective, long-lasting solution.