top of page
All Posts


Understanding QA Roles in the Food Industry
A practical guide for recruiters and quality professionals In the food industry, QA job titles often mean different things in different companies . Sometimes even people working in Quality struggle to explain what they actually do and recruiters are expected to interpret it all. This overview is not about hierarchy or ego. It’s about clarity, expectations, and honest conversations . 1. QA Officer Focus: Operational execution of the Quality Management System Typical res
Mario Monteiro
19 dic2 Min. de lectura


Codex, HACCP, FSMS & GFSI. A simple guide for future QA professionals
1. Why Codex exists (workfloor logic) Imagine every country and every factory deciding on its own what “safe food” means. That would be chaos. That’s why Codex Alimentarius exists. Codex was created by FAO and WHO , two global, non-commercial United Nations agencies , to define one international reference for food safety , based on science , not opinions. Codex does not depend on national or International law but many laws are based on Codex . That’s why we often hear: “Ac
Mario Monteiro
15 dic2 Min. de lectura


Quality Is Spoken in Many Languages and None of Them Is Just Perfect Grammar
Communication Goes Beyond Language Proficiency In many highly industrialized and technically demanding sectors, where the workforce is international, we often hear requirements such as C1 level , full fluency , or native-equivalent proficiency . And of course, mastering the local language always helps. It makes daily systems and processes easier to navigate, helps you read procedures, handle audits, and communicate more effectively. It’s also a sign of respect and integration
Mario Monteiro
5 dic2 Min. de lectura


The Audit Culture: More Than Finding Failures It’s About Building Trust (ISO 19011)
In internal and second-party audits, we often see a cultural clash: on one hand, Quality arrives on the shop floor as “the moment to take control,” and on the other, Production prepares for “how many things they’re going to point out.” And in between, top management sometimes acting as if this has nothing to do with them. This disconnect turns the audit into an exercise of pressure, not improvement. However, when you truly understand the foundations of a proper audit under IS
Mario Monteiro
30 nov2 Min. de lectura


When You Know How to Do It, but Don’t Know How to Say It: My Journey in Quality
For years, I worked on the production floor solving real problems, watching the process from start to finish, and understanding exactly what happened when something went wrong. But there was something I lacked: The terminology . I heard words like deviation , root cause analysis , prevention , or correction … and even though I didn’t know the terms at the time, I was already doing all of those things every single day. Because here’s the truth: People on the floor know a devia
Mario Monteiro
21 nov2 Min. de lectura


When Leadership Is Missing: Why a Team Should Not Adjust to Ineffective Management
In the food industry and especially in quality we often talk about processes, indicators, and certifications. But we rarely stop to reflect on something that quietly decides whether a team succeeds or fails: leadership . Over the years, in both entry-level and higher positions, I’ve seen the same pattern: there are fewer true leaders, and more people in important roles who aren’t ready to lead. Leader vs Manager: What’s the Real Difference? A true leader isn’t someone who gi
Mario Monteiro
13 nov2 Min. de lectura


Understanding ERP, PLM and Shop Floor Systems for QA Professionals
If you want to grow in a QA role, there’s one skill that gives you an immediate advantage: understanding the difference between ERP , PLM , and shop floor systems . They sound technical, but the truth is simple: they follow the same logic we use when working with paper records. ✅ ERP: the administrative brain (Examples: SAP, M3, Microsoft Dynamics, Navision, Oracle, AFAS) An ERP is where traceability lives: batches, inventories, production orders, and material consumption. F
Mario Monteiro
6 nov1 Min. de lectura


“Quality with Empathy: How Human Leadership Shapes Food Safety”
🌿 Quality Begins With People While we work with quality standards and in environments where food safety is critical — and compliance is always a priority — we must never forget that we work with people . When we approach food safety, our goal must go beyond simply meeting a standard .It should focus on understanding the purpose behind each requirement, and on building awareness and genuine commitment to food safety and quality. Our colleagues on the production floor, thos
Mario Monteiro
30 oct1 Min. de lectura
bottom of page
