Kevin Webster Email and Phone Number

As a manager with the Food Safety and Animal Health Division my work focused on cross-ministry teams involved in food safety, whether managing issues or managing emergencies (e.g. foodborne illness outbreaks). I chaired a multi-jurisdictional team (Canada-Alberta Partners in Food Safety (CAPiFS)), and also maintained the Alberta Foodborne Illness and Risk Investigation Protocol (FIRIP) through CAPiFS; participating on the Coordinating Committee when activated. Developing and maintaining… Show more As a manager with the Food Safety and Animal Health Division my work focused on cross-ministry teams involved in food safety, whether managing issues or managing emergencies (e.g. foodborne illness outbreaks). I chaired a multi-jurisdictional team (Canada-Alberta Partners in Food Safety (CAPiFS)), and also maintained the Alberta Foodborne Illness and Risk Investigation Protocol (FIRIP) through CAPiFS; participating on the Coordinating Committee when activated. Developing and maintaining internal branch protocols for emergency management was another component of the job. A highlight of the term in this position was the major revision of the FIRIP, successfully completed in August 2017.Another function of this position was to ensure that recommendations from the 2005-06 Food Safety Audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Alberta were implemented. All ten recommendations were implemented as of 2017, and this work was a highlight of the position as it involved three ministries and agencies working collaboratively over an extended period. Show less

Led cross-ministry teams in assessments of provincial meat and dairy facilities to determine compliance with provincial food safety standardsFacilitated discussions with partners and industry to resolve food safety issuesActed as a food safety resource for inspection staff and industry

Quality assurance and food safety testing of raw materials and finished product and process control, as well as investigations into non-compliant product; oversight of the internal water treatment facilityAudited chain restaurants (Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Arby’s) with respect to the handling/dispensing of the company’s products

Using molecular biology techniques cloned, isolated and purified samples of plasmid DNA in Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae b; to investigate Insertion Sequence 1.Validated methods of isolation/identification of waterborne bacteria in local water treatment and distribution systems.Utilized Clustan Analysis of isloates of waterborne bacteria to determine genera present in distribution systems.

Through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) summer grant, I performed quality assurance duties and assisted with scale-up of diagnostic intermediates for use in rapid testing kits.