We are delighted to announce that 1st prize in the 2007/2008 Oxoid Food Safety Team of the Year Awards goes to the Cadbury Trebor Bassett team based at the company’s Chirk site in Wales. 

The Cadbury Chirk site is a feedstock site for the larger Cadbury organisation, with the laboratory handling samples of butter and chocolate liquor.  The team’s entry demonstrated their determination to drive forward a continuous quality improvement process which involved improvements in methodologies and changes in factory processes. Their work brought major benefits to the company in terms of food safety.  A positive clearance system was introduced, which improved laboratory inspection processes and provided enhanced traceability. With no increase in staffing levels, the frequency of sample testing went up - creating a 200% increase in workload, a laboratory extension was built and commissioned with no disruption to workflow, and new and improved environmental monitoring practices were put in place, including training of maintenance, supply chain partners and contractors, who all now work to Cadbury GMP standards. All of these factors contributed to reductions in out of specification microbiological results over previous years.

“The commitment and dedication of the Cadbury Chirk team have had a significant food safety impact that was demonstrated by the facts and figures contained in their entry”, commented Cheryl Mooney, chairman of the judging panel.  “The team has also raised its own morale and, through the enthusiasm and initiatives of its members, has raised morale and levels of food hygiene and safety within the production environment.  We are delighted, therefore, to name them as the 2007/2008 Oxoid Food Safety Team of the Year.”

The second prize of £500 was awarded to the laboratory team at Fonterra Clandeboye, Timaru, New Zealand.  The Fonterra Co-operative Group is a major producer of dairy products with 97% of products being exported, globally.  The laboratory at Clandeboye is responsible for testing all products produced in the South Island manufacturing plants and, also, from external companies.  During 2007/2008, the laboratory workload increased to receive samples from the North Island, as well. The judges were impressed by the way in which this laboratory had treated the increasing workload as a challenge and had restructured working practices and incorporated quality management principles to maximise effectiveness and increase productivity.

A Judges Special Award was made to Westward Laboratories, Callington, Cornwall, UK, previous winners of the Oxoid Food Safety Team of the Year Award, for their continued contribution to food safety. Amongst the recent initiatives undertaken by Westward, the judges cited the laboratory’s willingness to promote food safety issues to local community, by involvement with young farmers groups and local colleges, as being worthy of special recognition.

For more information about the Oxoid Awards, which are organised in conjunction with International Food Hygiene and the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, please contact Fiona Macrae, Awards Manager, on oxoid.awards@thermofisher.com  or talk to your local representative of Oxoid products.

About the Oxoid Awards

The Oxoid Awards are organised in conjunction with International Food Hygiene magazine and the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, and recognise the essential work undertaken by laboratories,QA/QC professionals and all those involved in product safety, quality and hygiene in the food and beverage industries.

The judging panel is made up of independent experts within the field of Food and Beverage Safety, along with representatives from Oxoid, International Food Hygiene and The Institute of
Brewing & Distilling:

• Dr Roy Betts, head of microbiology at Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association
• Mr Derrick Blunden, editor of International Food Hygiene
• Ms Melody Greenwood, Microtech Services (Wessex) Ltd and chairman of the BSI AW/009 Microbiology Committee
• Mr Alec Kyriakides, head of product safety for Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
• Mr David Long, director of the British Beer & Pub Association
• Ms Cheryl Mooney, food applications manager, Oxoid
• Ms Fiona Macrae, marketing communications manager, Oxoid

We are pleased to announce that Miss Shazia Naz of the Marine Fisheries Department, part of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Karachi, Pakistan, has been awarded the title of Oxoid Young Microbiologist of the Year 2007/2008. Shazia wins £1,000 and the opportunity to attend the 2009 International Association of Food Protection Meeting to be held in Grapevine, Texas, USA.

Shazia is in charge of the Government laboratory at the fish harbour at the West Wharf, Karachi. The laboratory monitors fish processing and processing sites, as well as process water and ice at the landing areas.

In nominating Shazia for the Award, Captain R J Ishrat, Director General of the Marine Fisheries Department, cited her many achievements, including the work undertaken to secure ISO-17025 accreditation for the laboratory (the first accreditation in a laboratory of this kind in Pakistan). This involved development of: standard operating procedures; quality and technical manuals; test validation methods; maintenance of certified reference materials; evaluation of staff competence; measurement of non conformances and corrective actions.

During the accreditation process Shazia was still responsible for the day-to-day running of the laboratory, supervision of staff and also undertook hands-on testing, herself. Her dedication was, therefore, highlighted during the many long days work required to complete the project.

Additionally, Shazia is a member of the HACCP monitoring and audit team at the Marine Fisheries Department and an internal auditor for both the microbiology and chemical laboratories. She is also the Youngest Technical Assesor ISO-17025 (Microbiology) of the Pakistan National Accreditation Council – which the Awards’ judges cited as a huge achievement.

The judges agreed that Shazia was an outstanding, highly motivated individual, with one judge commenting “Shazia has everything you would want in a young microbiologist”.

Rebecca Moorhouse, Laboratory Technician at Young’s Seafood Ltd, Grimsby, UK was awarded the second prize of £500. The judges said that Rebecca had shown continuous development as a technician, and that she was undertaking the role to a very high standard. Her entry demonstrated she was a team player, a good communicator and an ambassador for her laboratory.

The judges also made additional, Highly Commended Awards to Miss Habib Beenish, Microbiologist at Dawn Bread, Karachi, Pakistan; to Mr Arsalan Saeed Zai, microbiologist and GMP coordinator at Cadbury Pakistan Ltd: and to Mrs Omondi Florence Awino Ouma, laboratory analyst at Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya.

Miss Habib Beenish, Microbiologist at Dawn Bread, Karachi, Pakistan

Mr Arsalan Saeed Zai, Microbiologist and GMP coordinator at Cadbury Pakistan Ltd

Mrs Omondi Florence Awino Ouma, laboratory analyst at Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya

“Our panel of judges were particularly delighted with the standard of entries into the Oxoid Young Microbiologist of the Year Award, this year. The number of Highly Commended Awards made is testament to the high standard set by our entrants” commented Cheryl Mooney, chairman of the judging panel. “These young microbiologists have all shown enviable levels of dedication, enthusiasm and skill that enable their laboratories to excel. We are delighted to make these Awards.”

For more information about the Oxoid Awards, which are organised in conjunction with International Food Hygiene and the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, please contact Fiona Macrae, Awards Manager, on oxoid.awards@thermofisher.com or talk to your local representative of Oxoid products.