From Regulations to Relationships: Elevating Quality in the Supplement Industry

Ted Beyer is the Director of Quality and Food Safety at First Day, specializing in ensuring product safety and compliance in the dietary supplement industry. With expertise in quality assurance, he has successfully implemented vital certifications and robust supplier verification processes. Ted fosters collaboration and values mentorship, using consumer feedback to drive quality improvements and support First Day's commitment to high-quality supplements.

Through this article, Beyer discusses his role as Director of Quality and Food Safety at First Day, focusing on enhancing supplier verification processes and implementing vital certifications in the dietary supplement industry. He emphasizes the importance of consumer feedback, cross-functional collaboration, and mentorship in maintaining product quality and safety while navigating regulatory changes and integrating food science principles into quality assurance practices.

Strengthening Supplier Verification Processes: A Key Milestone in My Journey

A significant milestone in my professional journey has been enhancing our supplier verification processes to meet evolving regulatory and quality standards. This initiative was crucial in ensuring our supply chain adheres to stringent safety and quality benchmarks, aligning with regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. The successful implementation of this improved program has strengthened our supplier relationships and enhanced product quality, ensuring the highest safety standards are met.

Addressing Challenges in Food Safety and Quality

Our key focus is ensuring consumers quickly notice and appreciate the quality aspects, such as product consistency, taste, and appearance. As consumers become more educated and attentive to their consumption, they are more likely to provide feedback regarding these qualities. We proactively address these concerns by using consumer insights to guide improvements and consistently monitoring our products through rigorous quality checks. Our compliance with standards like NSF 455-2 further bridges the gap between food products and dietary supplements, assuring that our gummies meet strict requirements.

The Role of Certifications in Ensuring Quality and Safety

I have overseen the implementation of several certifications, including PCQI, BRC, SQF, and NSF 455-2 for dietary supplements. Since gummy supplements bridge the gap between food and traditional supplements like powders and pills, adhering to these diverse standards ensures our products meet all necessary regulatory and quality requirements. Managing these certifications has fostered a quality culture throughout the organization and enhanced our overall product safety.

I believe that enhancing our supplier verification processes and fostering collaboration is essential to building a culture of quality, ensuring that we meet the highest safety standards in dietary supplements.

Strategies for Staying Informed on Regulatory Changes and Industry Trends

I rely on several resources to stay informed. For regulatory changes, I regularly follow updates from organizations like the FDA to keep up with upcoming requirements. Additionally, staying connected through professional networks like LinkedIn has proven invaluable. It allows me to learn from industry peers, gain insights into emerging trends, and stay updated on new developments as they happen.

Integrating Food Science and Engineering in Quality Assurance

One key challenge in gummy manufacturing is ensuring ingredient stability during extended heating periods. Some active ingredients are sensitive to prolonged heat exposure, so timing and temperature must be carefully managed to preserve ingredient quality. By employing precise engineering controls and continual monitoring, we ensure that our products maintain their intended quality throughout manufacturing.

Cross-functional collaboration in Quality Management

Cross-functional collaboration is essential in quality management. Integrating our quality requests and requirements with our manufacturing partners involved significant teamwork. We aligned our quality assurance standards with the capabilities of our manufacturing partners while ensuring consumer expectations were met. This process required clear communication, mutual understanding, and continuous monitoring to maintain alignment across all functions.

The Value of Mentorship in Career Growth

One of my most influential experiences was finding a good mentor early in my career. A mentor doesn't have to be within your organization—though that can help—but having someone to guide, brainstorm ideas, and translate thoughts into actionable steps can make a difference. My mentor gave me the confidence to take the initiative and shaped my strategic approach to quality assurance, which has been instrumental in my career growth.