A recent article in Food Safety Magazine highlights a critical issue in the food industry—compliance alone is not enough to ensure food safety. While regulations provide a necessary framework, they often create a checkbox mentality, where businesses focus on passing audits rather than building real expertise among employees (source).
The Problem with Compliance-First Approaches
Following food safety rules is essential, but regulations do not always translate into practical knowledge. Employees may be trained to follow policies, but if they do not fully understand why certain precautions are necessary, mistakes can still happen. This gap between policy and real-world application has led to several high-profile food safety incidents. Just because a company has passed an audit doesn’t mean employees have the practical skills or knowledge to prevent foodborne illnesses and manage real-world risks.
Real-World Incidents That Prove Competence Matters:
The article highlights several food safety failures that could have been avoided with better training:
- Costa Coffee (2023): A tragic allergy-related death occurred after an employee mistakenly served dairy milk instead of soy. While the business had allergen policies in place, employees lacked the critical awareness needed to prevent such errors.
- Listeria Outbreak in Hospitals (2019): Contaminated pre-packaged sandwiches led to patient deaths due to improper storage. Even though food safety protocols were in place, the staff didn’t fully understand how to prevent bacterial growth.
- Chipotle’s E. coli Outbreak (2015): Over 1,100 people fell sick due to contaminated fresh produce. Employees had some training, but it wasn’t thorough enough to prevent microbial contamination.
These cases show that compliance alone doesn’t protect people—what really matters is how well employees understand and apply food safety measures every day.
Building a Competence-Driven Food Safety Culture
To move beyond regulations and compliance, food businesses must focus on real competence by:
- Providing practical, scenario-based, on the job training instead of generic checklists.
- Encouraging employees to ask questions and think critically about food safety risks.
- Making training an ongoing process, not just a one-time requirement for audits.
Why It Matters
Regulations set the standard, but competence ensures safety. A well-trained workforce that understands why food safety measures exist is far more effective than one simply following rules without context. Food businesses that invest in competence over compliance will not only protect public health but also improve efficiency and trust in their brand.
Read the full article here: Food Safety Magazine.