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Quality Assurance & Food Safety

Food safety assurance involves lowering any risks involved in eating food, while quality assurance refers to making sure food meets the expectations of the consumer. Both are important when bringing food to market.

  1. Food Safety as a Component of Quality Assurance

    • Food safety is the most crucial element of food quality, since a consumer can become sick or even die if food safety isn't assured. Quality issues such as appearance and flavor of food can be fine, but if the food carries toxic chemicals or parasites, such quality elements become irrelevant. Food safety must therefore always take precedence in questions of quality assurance.

    Food Safety Considerations

    • Assurance of food safety must take into consideration agricultural and manufacturing practices as well as sanitation. Hazard analysis practices are also helpful to eliminate or reduce biological hazards. In addition, food handlers must follow safe practices in regards to the heating, cooking, cooling and handling of food.

    Quality Assurance Considerations

    • Quality assurance programs that have third-party certification of quality can help food producers verify the quality of food in a way that is reassuring to consumers. Established standards of quality in worldwide markets guarantee a final food product that meets customer expectations in terms of appearance, aroma and taste.

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