Whanganui consultant Roy Biggs leading the way in food safety

Roy Biggs was recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology for his food industry contribution and leadership. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui food safety consultant Roy Biggs was heavily involved in the poultry industry and government joint strategy that changed New Zealand's reputation as "the campylobacter capital of the world".

Biggs is an award-winning food technology expert who worked in the poultry industry for Tegel Foods for 19 years before "retiring" and setting up on his own.

"There has been a huge amount of change for the good," Biggs said.

"There is recognition by senior management in all the food industry that the best way of protecting your brand is making sure you don't hurt people when they're eating your product.

"I'm very proud of the campylobacter strategy we developed. There's a lot less campylobacter from poultry than there used to be. Nine thousand fewer people a year are getting sick.

"Salmonella on chicken is down from a baseline of 17 per cent in 1996 to an annual average of less than 0.2 per cent for the last five years. It's due to hard work by a lot of people."

Biggs says the growth of social media has also had an impact on the food industry.

"It's so easy now for people to say what's happened to them and for the message to spread. It's a very powerful way of expressing yourself."

Biggs began his career in the United Kingdom, working in the dairy and salmon processing industries. A "mid-life crisis" when he was in his 40s saw Biggs and his family move to New Zealand.

After working for a short time as an immigration consultant in Whanganui, Biggs was employed by Tegel and soon became the company's head technical manager.

"I was involved in negotiations with the Government and major customers and in overseas marketing activity so we could sell raw chicken to Australia - that took seven years.

"I'm still contracted to Tegel and other major poultry companies are also clients. I've also worked for pasta, pate, honey and cleaning products companies."

Biggs has clients in Auckland, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia and the United Kingdom. He also has one client in Whanganui and says he would like to help other local businesses with risk management programmes and custom food control plans.

The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) has recognised Biggs' commitment to excellence in food safety with its 2018 International Leadership Award. The award will be presented in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July.

He won the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology's JC Andrews Award in 2017. The award recognises institute members who have made a substantial contribution to science and technology and leadership in the food industry.

Biggs says the food industry is "great to be in".

"I've just been really lucky. I've been in the right place at the right time with the right skills."