Afsaneh Samiei
Food Safety, Quality, and Compliance Specialist
About
Food Safety, Quality, and Compliance Specialist with over 15 years of experience in food manufacturing, including more than 7 years in the Canadian food industry. Certified BRCGS and PCQI with hands-on experience in HACCP plan development, internal audits, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. Known for building strong food safety and quality systems, working closely with cross-functional teams to solve problems and improve operational performance.
Experienced in training employees, strengthening sanitation and quality programs, and helping organizations maintain high food safety standards.
Experience
FSQA Consultant - Crunch sun - Newmarket
(2025-06)
- Registered CFIA establishment and licensing requirements
- Ensure facility design and documentation meet regulatory expectations
- Developed HACCP plans for product categories from scratch
- Established PRPs
- Stabilished supplier approval program
- Stabilished Traceability and recall system
- Reviewed facility layout for Product flow, zoning and EMP
- Defined raw material flow, personnel flow, and waste flow
- Created SOPs, GMP manuals, SSOPs, and work instructions
Food safety, Quality & Compliance Specialist | BRCGS Internal Auditor - FGF Brands - North York
(2022-11 - 2025-06)
- Conducted +20 internal audits across multiple FGF facilities, identifying compliance gaps and supporting continuous improvement initiatives
- Developed and implemented 10 HACCP plans from scratch for new facilities and maintained existing HACCP programs for the site I was covered through regular reassessments and updates
- Maintained and updated SOPs and records to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and system changes focusing on risk management and regulatory adherence
- Provided support during external audits
- Reviewed validation results, and supporting documentation completed by QA Leads
- Delivered comprehensive training to enhance team proficiency in CCP monitoring, GMP and operating procedures
- Conducted thorough evaluations of hazards associated with raw materials and production processes to mitigate risks
Quality Assurance Coordinator - Weston Foods - Toronto
(2020-12 - 2022-11)
- Conducted daily shop floor inspections to verify compliance with GMP and presiders, identifying gaps and ensuring timely CAPAs
- Conducted vertical and full traceability exercises for finished products, raw materials, and packaging materials
- Conducted customer complaint and incident investigations, performed root cause analysis, implemented CAPAs, and completed reports on time
- Performed validation activities for allergen, bakes, CIP cleaning, label claims, label coding, and metal detection
- Used Minitab to analyze data and create graphs for shelf-life studies and quality assessments
- Conducted scientific assessments of biological hazards, with a focus on Hepatitis A and Norovirus, to support hazard analysis and food safety programs for fresh and frozen berry products
- Analyzed quality data and prepared KPI reports to support continuous improvement
- Worked with cross-functional teams on product quality and process improvement initiatives
- Supported investigations into consumer and customer complaints, ensuring timely resolution and maintaining product quality
- Actively participated in plant trials, collaborating with cross-functional teams to test new processes and improve operational efficiency
- Conducted shelf-life studies to evaluate product quality, food safety, and shelf-life stability
Quality Assurance Tech - Elite Sweets Brands Inc. - Brampton
(2019-10 - 2020-12)
- Conducted process checks across production, packaging, sanitation, and warehouse to ensure compliance with GMP & procedures
- Implemented Hold procedures for suspect products
- Verified the proper functioning of testing equipment
- Prepared and communicated detailed reports on quality inspection activities, providing actionable insights to the QA Team Leader and stakeholders
- Accurately documented all QA activities in real-time, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulatory requirements
- Supported investigations into consumer and customer complaints, ensuring timely resolution and maintaining product quality
- Actively participated in plant trials, collaborating with cross-functional teams to test new processes and improve operational efficiency
- Conducted shelf-life studies to evaluate product quality, food safety, and shelf-life stability
Education
M.Sc. - Food Science and technology - Azad University (2010 - 2012)
B.Sc. - Food Science and technology - Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (2006 - 2010)
