TQS Food Consulting Ltd

02/08/2024

Today is all about 'the Quality'.... Delighted to be judging again at The Quality Food Awards. 😀

09/07/2024

Supporting our fab client Ambry Foods, shortlisted for an award tonight at The National Egg & Poultry Awards

14/06/2024

URGENT PRODUCT RECALLS in UK

Two Major Sandwich Producers via the Food Standards Agency, have RECALLED a number of Sandwich (and similar products) today, Friday 14th June 2024.

Products are supplied to a number of supermarkets and retail outlets as follows:
Aldi, Amazon, Asda, Boots, Co-Op, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco.

Fillings include: Chicken (various varieties), Tuna, Vegan, Prawn, Haloumi, Bacon, Red Leicester and other Cheeses, Mexican Beans, Onion Bhajia, Vegetarian, Ham & Egg, Brie.

The issue relates to the possible presence of Shiga Toxin producing (STEC) E.Coli – which can result in Diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), Abdominal Pain and Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) which can lead to kidney failure and in some instances can be fatal.

For a full list of products affected, including retailer, brand name, dates and codes, please see BOTH links below. If you have any of the affected products, you should NOT consume them and immediately return them to the appropriate retailer.

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/fsa-alerts-files/production/FSA-PRIN-30-2024/Customer-notice-Greencore-Group-recalls-several-sandwiches-wraps-and-salads-because-of-the-possible-presence-of-E-coli-002.pdf

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/fsa-alerts-files/production/FSA-PRIN-31-2024/Customer-notice-Samworth-Brothers-Manton-Wood-recalls-various-sandwiches-and-wraps.pdf

TQS Comment: The fact that this issue has affected more than one producer in different parts of the country and across a number of ingredient fillings, suggests (in our experience), a wider problem affecting specific materials. This is one to watch closely as investigations ensue and no doubt, identify specific sources and causes.

08/06/2024

SOOOO PROUD of our Client Ambry for this endorsement on Instagram earlier today... (see pics)...

TQS helped our client to develop this product which won the Quality Food Awards, Best Bacon, Product of the Year AND, SME of the Year in 2023.
www.ambryfoods.com

Just a bit excited and in danger of hyperventilating!

05/06/2024

It's Food Science and Technology Week!

So we asked our Managing Director Andrew what his thoughts were for the week ahead.....

He said: "I have always said that I've been very lucky in my work, I've always liked what I do, have usually liked doing it with the folk that surround me or I have worked with, and the rewards have, on the whole, been good.
It's a career that has served me well, I've never been out of work, fired or made redundant since people will always need to eat and long may that continue.
The food sector is one of the most fascinating and innovative industries to work and Food, per-se, is the largest and most important economic activity in the world.
The health and welfare of people everywhere depend on good agriculture and on the reliable and safe: storage; processing; handling and distribution of all types of food.
Food professionals, like myself, work in many occupations including industry (manufacturing, retailing and food service), universities and schools, government, research and development, quality assurance and food law enforcement.
Sadly there is a dreadful shortage of good people in the sector and it is crying out for well-qualified and experienced specialists who can play their part in the increasingly sophisticated and often complex food supply system"

We saw this graphic on another SM platform today and could not resist but to steal it. It illustrates *what everyone thinks we do* as 'Food Techs' in the industry and *what we actually do*
Have a look and let us know your thoughts....

11/04/2024

TQS Food Consulting are proud to say that we coached and mentored last years winner in the Bacon category - Ambry Foods - for their Turkey Bacon!....Then... a panel of totally independent judges, voted it QFA product of the year! - Why not enter YOUR products for the 2024 awards and at just £79 for small producers this year, its a no-brainer. Good Luck!

04/10/2023

Always something different here at TQS.... I could never have imagined doing this at the start of this journey some 46+ years ago!
Monday was in a Caviar packing business less than an hour from the office, surrounded by large tins of caviar worth £000's.... Today was a large industrial facility dealing with USA regulatory compliance for food ingredients... Never a dull moment and it certainly keeps the grey matter working overtime!

14/09/2023

46 years in this fabulous industry and there's always something new.... Todays 1st Production with our client launching in UK Supermarkets next week.

29/07/2023

When work is a pleasure, life is a joy.
This is exactly why we keep doing what we do at TQS! Thankyou Greg.

21/06/2023

It's a busy week:
Yesterday presenting to a Turkish Trade delegation, Today is judging Italian & Spanish Food & Wines!

12/05/2023

The client was on tenterhooks, but they've listened, they took action and the result was the SALSA Auditor saying it was an 'Exceptionally Good first audit!'

Bring your BRCGS or SALSA challenges to us, we'll help smooth the way.... it's bread & butter stuff to us!

09/03/2023

Why we love what we do at TQS..... This week so far has been: Setting up and co-ordinating shelf life trials with a local lab for : Porridge, Baby Foods & Vodka based Jelly Shots (there were tastings too!); Meeting with a new novel process technology client for a Palm Oil replacement (eco-friendly, cyclic economy and great for the planet and Orangutans); On site with a new Healthy Raw Juice producer supporting writing HACCP plans; liaising with a new build client for an Ice Cream factory extension; and today, 6 hours of video calls to support development of FSLQ&IMS for a SALSA audit in a few weeks.... Think we'll take Friday off!


Are you facing a current Food Safety, Legality, HACCP, Enforcement, Labelling, Quality Assurance, Certification, Accreditation or Retail Customer challenge?..... We always offer an initial FOC session to ensure we are a good 'fit' when it comes to projects like those outlined above and over 90% of the prospective clients we meet, go on to engage with us for bigger pieces of work. Call or write and we can chat more!

28/02/2023

Thought for the day... if we didn't have Margerine, would the world be a Butter place?!

22/02/2023

Starting the day with a client at a first production launch for a UK retailer. The packaging (delivered yesterday) has ingredients missing. Appears the error lies with said supermarket.....Should have bought a copy of our book...

Specification writing - It's the gnarly, practical, exacting - but extremely important - part of getting a product onto the market. Without clear, accurate specifications, nothing gets anywhere near the shelves of a supermarket.

11/05/2022

Earlier this week, I received the most fantastic piece of feedback I think I've received in just about forever.

Sunday last, I delivered RSPH Level 2 Allergen training to a group of 14 Mangers, Team leaders and Operatives at one of my clients.

On Monday whilst in the factory with the site Food Safety Tech, one of the trainees came up to me and totally unprompted said:

"Thankyou for the training yesterday, it was really interesting. It wasnt like a normal training course, you are like an actor on a stage when you're training and it made it really enjoyable, Thankyou"

The site FST, was also suitably impressed!

Receiving feedback like this, makes what we do SO very rewarding... must be getting something right after 44 years in the industry...... maybe TQS should be doing more training work!

23/02/2022

A huge congratulations to our client Crussh, and all the team in achieving BRC AA grade at the first attempt.

TQS Food Consulting are very honoured to have played a part of your journey.


Do you have BRC or SALSA Certification or ongoing maintenance challenges.
Drop TQS an e.mail and let's see how we can help you!

24/12/2021

When one of your fab clients sends you a Christmas Cookie kit. 😀😀
Better get these bad boys cooked and leave some out for Santa. Thankyou Dishpatch ...go check them out folks... perfect dining in meal kits from top London Chefs and Restaurants all ready to finish and serve at home.

24/12/2021

When one of your fab clients sends you a Christmas Cookie kit. 😀😀
Better get these bad boys cooked and leave some out for Santa. Thankyou Dishpatch go check them out folks!

26/03/2021

So.... Pre-Brexit: Book parcel with FedEx on line, parcel (of a small sample of pasta) gets collected and sent to Italian contact.... No hassle, No drama, No complications, No delays, so special requirements... Simples!

This week: Book sample on line & complete forms and docs for collection... ok so far... Sample collected and ships to Italy. Sampe gets 'held' in somewhere called Lonate. No notification this has happened.... Check tracking, system says 'Clearance delay - Import. Clearance instructions required from the importer' (remember this was NOT required Pre-Brexit!). Make numerous calls to FedEx and spend time with Q&A's.
Get a call from FedEx customer service this morning, who are it turns out are busier than ever with EU parcel complications (note: NOT an issue pre-Brexit).. So my client in Italy now has to request formal clearance of customs in Italy, because this is a food item. Must provide written confirmation to confirm to FedEx (as this is Italian law for 3rd countries which the UK now is), that he does require entry of the package. This is because food items require phytosanitary declarations to be sent to the health Ministry in Italy before being allowed entry. This now inconveniences me due to lost time and inconveniences my client as he has to complete forms that are SOLELY because the UK has left the EU!

Congratulations !... your 'project fear' is now project REALITY. Right now, angry doesn't even come close.