In October we see pink ribbons everywhere in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. This is a great and worthy cause and I want to express my support to all of those affected by this terrible disease. May God bless all of you with health and happiness.

I want to take the focus on pink to raise awareness about the “Pink Ribbon Food Safety Action Team” on Facebook. This team is represented by a pink DNA double-helix and our cause is preventing foodborne illnesses. To join the group you have to be a female and secondly, you need to be a food safety/food science professional with a passion to spread knowledge and prevent illnesses. We also have some solid ground rules that are focused on being respectful, supportive and kind to each other. I would like to tell you a little about the group because it impacts the food industry and improves food safety every single day.

We are driven by all things science coupled with real world experience! Based on a survey I did on the page, this is one of the first places our members go for information. We share information freely and the members trust one another. We do call each other out (nicely) if something incorrect is posted. Peer review is in strong force!

There are faculty members, long time industry leaders, leaders from government agencies and commodity groups and students who interact with one another on and off of the social platform. One female faculty member met several women who subsequently gave virtual guest lectures in her class. These ladies would have never even known each other if this group didn’t exist. Sometimes there is a call for “help” with a specific food safety issue and someone always comes through with an answer. The questions can be basic food safety questions, information on how to deal with regulatory challenges — or even how to interact with a new or difficult boss.

Here are some of my favorite quotes: “…it puts a group of women closer for a great cause…” “knowledge is shared rather than safeguarded…this group exists to achieve the same goal… to build successful food safety systems, build professional relationships in a supportive and positive environment” and finally, ”this platform 'walks the talk' that food safety is not a trade secret.”

The group is held together by camaraderie. It began in early March of 2020, not anticipating that we were on the brink of COVID-19. The pandemic and lockdown bonded us together. We were all facing similar issues with the supply chain shut-downs, fast-paced changing guidelines and policies. Experiences were shared about mask policies, distancing, barriers and ideas were traded back and forth in a time when data were lacking. In addition to the serious issues, we also had a daily fun post to let off steam. We would all share our favorite vacation or pet photos or new recipes to try while we were all sheltering in place. In a difficult time of our industry, we felt less alone because we knew others were going through the same things.

Friendships have grown and have led to get togethers at professional meetings and other collaborations. I have personally enjoyed meeting new women and meeting someone personally and they say, “I am in the Pink Ribbon Group”. It is a common bond! One of the members commented in our survey that they appreciated that women that they thought were “big wigs” and intimidating were just as human as everyone else. They found courage to reach out and build relationships with them. It’s a mechanism for the younger generation to reach out to the more experienced.

In a world in which we are often the only female at the table, this is a place to interact with other women. I asked the group if we wanted to expand and I received some strong feedback. It was mentioned frequently that there is a common bond of the unique challenges faced by women that help us create trust and a place of safety. Women communicate in a different way with each other; there is a culture of cooperation and collaboration, not competition, in the group and ultimately it was clear that we would welcome any new “pink ribbon” ladies who want to share ideas and be a part of changing the world through food and “thinking pink”!

Think pink

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