[AIB Auditor Profile] Marcelo Smolovich

After only two years of employment as an AIB auditor in Latin America, it’s not easy to pull the wool over Marcelo Smolovich’s eyes. Recently, upon arriving at a food plant for a scheduled audit, Marcelo noticed that all employees were wearing hairnets, beard covers, and white uniforms as covered by the GMPs. However, this facility took the recommendation to the extreme. He almost laughed out loud at how uncomfortable and ridiculous the business office personnel looked while sitting at their desks in full food zone apparel! It seems that the company thought Marcelo would be impressed they took compliance to a higher level and, in turn, offer them a generous audit score. However, this action signaled that the employees were most likely conducting themselves differently than during a regular work day. He stayed alert during that inspection looking for any indication of unusual work practices.

Marcelo also understands that the door swings the other direction. Just as employees often conduct themselves differently during an audit, they act differently during a non-audit day. It’s not uncommon that employee shortcuts create unnecessary risk for the food product and causes worker safety incidents.

With more than 10 years of experience and a degree in food engineering, Marcelo’s food industry career is well underway. He has experience in HACCP, food chemistry, sensory analysis, labeling, research and development, GMPs, and quality control. Marcelo also has participated in several seminars focused on the needs of small food companies in South America. During these seminars, he is often asked if the criteria used during an audit depends on the size of the facility. Several people think there are easier AIB standards used for small plants and that auditors are more lenient when scoring smaller facilities. However, the same standards apply to all facilities, regardless of the size or number of employees. That is why it’s so important to understand government regulations and customer or third-party audit requirements and follow them precisely.

Marcelo always offers the same advice to all customers, “Take time to realize how important your job is and follow the company’s procedures and rules from day #1. If you have a concern or doubt about your job, ASK whatever you want to know. There is no silly question in the food industry. Remember, your family and friends consume the product you make.”  AIB

Kerry Beach is publication coordinator, AIB International.