|
Stratecon International Consultants The Network of Independent Food Industry Professionals |
|
|
| ||
|
|
Richard (Rick) Stier is a consulting food scientist with international experience in food safety (HACCP), food plant sanitation, quality systems, process optimization, GMP compliance, and food microbiology. He has worked with a wide range of processing systems and products, including canning, freezing, dehydration, deep-fat frying, aseptic systems, and seafood processing. At every position he has worked, he has shown a unique ability to work with companies at all levels, from top management, including marketing, to line workers, to understand, develop and implement systems to enhance these companies' operations.
Recent publications on the Web:
- Ensuring the Safety and Quality of Fried Foods. Click here to read the article
- Ingredient Challenge Studies: A Recipe for Assuring Food Safety. Click here to read the article
- Water's role: Formulators must figure out how to manage moisture in foods to assure proper finished results, especially shelf life. Click here to read the article
- Holding on to hand-helds - Wave of the Future: Although radio frequency identification use in the baking industry remains small, bakers are poised to make a paradigm shift. Click here to read the article
- Signs of the Times: Effective sanitation programs include more than just online cleaning processes — all of which contribute to the plant’s identity. Click here to read the article
| Education |
| June 1974 | B.S. in Food Science (Rutgers University) |
| May 1977 | Better Process Control School (University of California - Davis) |
| Sept 1977 | M.S. in Food Science & Technology (University of California - Davis) |
| April 1986 | Statistical Quality Control Short Course (University of California - Davis) |
| MASTERS THESIS: - The Effects of Blast Chilling on Various Microbiological Aspects of Fresh Beef Carcasses | |
Back to the top
| Work Experience |
International Experience
Stier has worked in or participated in or organized technical programs in
the following countries: Canada, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Mexico,
Guatemala, England, Indonesia, Northern Ireland, Belgium, France, Sweden, Denmark,
The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Japan, Poland, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland,
Taiwan, The Philippines, Thailand, India and Mongolia.
-
Consulting Food Scientist - 3/95 to present - Self employed consultant in
the areas of food safety, quality systems, HACCP, sanitation, food processing,
GMP compliance, vendor compliance and marketing. Has worked in throughout the
United States, Europe, Asia and Africa.
- Technical Director, Meat Export Program, Ulaanbataar, Mongolia. (9/2001 to
3/2002) Assisted the Mongolian meat processing industry in upgrading their
safety, sanitation and quality programs in an effort to build exports. Efforts
include the creation and distribution of a meat industry newsletter,
workshops, in-house consulting and field trips to processors around the world.
- Director, Technical Services for USAID sponsored project Agricultural Led Export
Businesses (ALEB) - (3/1999 to 9/2001) Assisted the Egyptian processing
industry upgrade food safety, quality, sanitation and processing operations so that
they would be more competitive internationally.
- Consulting Food Scientist - 3/95 to present - Self employed consultant in
the areas of food safety, quality systems, HACCP, sanitation, food processing,
GMP compliance, vendor compliance and marketing. Have worked in throughout the
United States, Europe, Asia and Africa.
- Contributing Editor (Baking & Snack magazine) - 3/91 to present -
Responsible for researching and writing technical articles of interest to the
baking and snack industries. Work rec'd award from IAMFES for best article in
environmental area for 1993.
- Manager Manufacturing Quality Services (Libra Laboratories, Inc., 1/88 to
3/95) - Responsible for supporting and marketing the services and products of
Libra. The target market is those companies producing snack or fried foods.
Built sales volumes for test kits to a projected $1MM per annum business.
Also, consulted throughout the United States and internationally in the areas
of food safety, sanitation, FDA compliance, food spoilage, quality systems and
process enhancement.
- Quality Assurance Director (Dole Packaged Foods Company, 6/85 -12/87) -
Developed, implemented, and managed quality programs for 35 products within 9
product lines with value exceeding 50 MM. Development of key systems such as
product coding & tracking saved the company hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
- Head Microbiology Section (National Food Processors Assoc., 12/81-6/85) -
Supervised 7 microbiologists in providing technical assistance to NFPA Members
and Technical Service Corporation (now NFL) clients. Work involved basic
research, practical problem solving, and routine evaluations of all manner of
food products and ingredients. Assisted in developing and implementing
protocols for evaluating aseptic processing systems, paving the way for
introduction into the U.S. of new systems (Tetra-Pak, CombiBloc, Bosch) in
early 1980's.
- Microbiologist/Senior Microbiologist (National Food Processors
Association, 7/77-12/81) - Provided technical service to NFPA Members and
Technical Service Corporation clients. Responsibilities were increased with
the promotion to the senior position.
- Microbiological Consultant (Woodland Nut Company, 1/76-6/76) - Conducted routine sampling of product and equipment, evaluated the samples, and recommended procedures to improve process operations and dispose of suspect product.
Back to the top
| Expertise |
Product Experience
- Freeze-dried meats and fish;
- Tree nuts;
- Canned and smoked fish; canned foods of all kinds (low acid, acidified, and acid);
- Fried foods;
- Aseptic products & equipment of all kinds;
- Fresh fruit & produce;
- frozen specialty items;
- Chilled and frozen juices; bulk fruit concentrates;
- Seasonings and spices;
- Dried pet foods;
- Aseptic products in all kinds of containers;
- Honey;
- Fried snacks;
- Bakery products;
- Nutritional supplements;
- Fully fried and parfried entrees & other products.
Back to the top
| Professional activities and affiliations |
Stier is an instructor at technical courses and symposia in the United
States, Southeast Asia, Africa, and in Europe. These programs have been on such
diverse topics as HACCP, quality management, statistical process control, food
plant sanitation, food microbiology, the chemistry and technology of deep fat
frying, and processing of low-acid and acidified foods (FDA Sanctioned Better
Process Control Schools). He was an instructor at the first officially
sanctioned schools taught in Belgium (Katholic University in Leuven) and in
Morocco through the United States Agency for International Development, and
organized and served as an instructor for the first school in Egypt.
Stier has served as a consultant to the following associations:
- American Soybean Association
- United Soybean Association
- National Honey Board
- Almond Board of California
- US member of ISO Technical Committee 34 charged to developed a Food Safety Management System based on HACCP and ISO principles (established as ISO 22000 as of September 2005)
| Contact details |
Richard Stier |
| Consulting Food Scientists |
|
627 Cherry Avenue, Sonoma, CA 95476 USA |
| Tel: | +1 707 935 2829 |
| Fax: | +1 707 935 2829 |
| Mobile: | |
| e-mail: | rickstier4@aol.com |
| website: |
Back to the top
Profile last updated on: 20080108
|
|
webmaster |