Ryk Lues, Ph.D., holds the positions of Professor of Food Safety and Director of the Centre for Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology (CAFSaB) at the Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa. His main field of specialization involves social-behavioral aspects that impact food safety and organizational food safety culture. He serves on several national regulatory and legal advisory teams, acts as an expert witness, and has held the office of vice president of the South African Association of Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST). He is a National Research Foundation of South Africa-rated scientist. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Ryk Lues [17:38] about:

• Evolution of food safety in Africa
• The 2017–2018 listeriosis outbreak in South Africa
• Realizing that food safety has a face and a name
• Consumer awareness of food safety
• The role of science in food safety
• A closer look at food regulations in Africa
• Making food safety culture more tangible
• The importance of risk mitigation
• Increasing food employee engagement
• The challenges of multiple societal customs and languages on food safety
• The need for expanded capacity building in Africa
• The impact of food insecurity on food safety practices
• The VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) environment
• Required characteristics of food safety leadership
• Identifying and overcoming food safety challenges in Africa
• African willingness to embrace new technologies
• Ongoing efforts to enhance food safety and change food safety culture

We also speak with Stacey Popham, VP Quality & Food Safety for the Americas at Barry Callebaut [3:40] about how her team is bringing attention to World Food Safety Day on June 7.

Joint FAO/WHO/Codex Alimentarius Campaign Page

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