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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410703
Research Project: Validation and Commercialization of Innovative Processing Technologies

Location: Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens

Title: Applied root cause analysis: Using your results to effectively manage risk

Author
item Niemira, Brendan
item BUTTS, JOHN - Foodsafetybydesign Llc
item DYENSON, NATALIE - International Fresh Produce Association
item JACKSON, TIM - Us Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
item KANE, DEB - J & J Snack Foods
item KING, TIM - Quality Matters

Submitted to: Food Safety Magazine
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Root cause analysis (RCA) is an essential tool used for understanding and correctly identifying the root causes of a food safety/quality issue. It is also a cost-effective approach to management and operations in any organization. Subject matter experts from industry, regulatory, trade association, and industry advisory groups will review how to get to the core problem by undertaking an RCA investigation. This determination helps identify effective corrective/preventive actions to avoid reoccurrence of issues and is a crucial step in managing risks. The speakers will discuss an RCA workshop they led at the 2023 Food Safety Summit that included a hands-on exercise and the presentation of case studies, and they will preview their planned RCA session at the 2024 Food Safety Summit. From this webinar, attendees will learn: 1) The importance of root cause analysis (RCA) in understanding food safety and quality issues; 2) Best practices for conducting RCA investigations, and areas where analysis can fall short; 3) How to apply RCA to real-world challenges and apply results to develop corrective/preventive actions.