Members

Technical Committee

The SCA Technical Committee is a fantastic resource for the Association and its members. They meet three times per year and capture, organise and share knowledge and expertise to the benefit of SCA members and specialist cheesemaking. The technical committee not only have impressive technical backgrounds but real practical experience of the dairy industry and its issues.

Current projects are outlined in the Year Plan below.

Login to your Member Hub to download:

• the terms of reference

• the terms for Membership and

• the approvals process for becoming a SALSA plus Cheese auditor/member of the Technical Committee.

• Technical committee Year Plan for 2025

Bronwen Percival – Neal's Yard Dairy (London)

Bronwen Percival graduated with a degree in biological chemistry from Wellesley College in 2001, and holds a Masters in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oxford, where her dissertation examined the complex relationship between protected food names and “tradition.” She has worked at Neal’s Yard Dairy since 2005 and is now the company’s Technical Director. In 2012 Bronwen instigated a biennial conference on the Science of Artisan Cheese, co-sponsored by the SCA and Neal’s Yard Dairy, which brings together scientists, cheesemakers, and public health officials from around the world. In early 2014, she spent two months in the Dutton Lab at Harvard University studying the role of marine-associated Proteobacteria on cheese rinds. In 2015 she edited and published an English translation of a French textbook, The Microbiology of Raw Milk. Along with Dr Benjamin Wolfe, a microbiologist from Tufts University, she founded MicrobialFoods.org, a website dedicated to making cutting-edge science on artisan fermented foods available to the general public. She is the author, along with Francis Percival, of Reinventing the Wheel: Milk, Microbes, and the Fight for Real Cheese (Bloomsbury, 2017).

Jo Mason (London)

Jo has a degree in Food Technology from Reading University and for 30 years has worked technical roles in the food industry. Her career has included technical responsibility for large and small manufacturers, support for major retailers, product development, laboratory work and training.  She worked as a consultant for a number of years helping small companies to develop their food safety systems to comply with legal, customer and certification requirements.  During 23 years in the dairy industry, Jo has worked with APV as well as Anthony Rowcliffe where she served on the board. She has carried out audits throughout her career, in the UK and internationally, to enable producers to supply UK manufacturers and retailers. Jo initiated the SCA Technical Committee, sits on the PTF Technical Committee and SALSA Governance Board and co-authored the SALSA plus Cheese module.  In 2008 she was appointed Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Marissa Schwoch – Food Microbiology Solutions Ltd (West Yorkshire)

Marissa graduated in Microbiology from Surrey University.  She has worked in various technical and food safety roles for Sainsbury’s and Arla, where she audited dairies in Europe and New Zealand.  In 2011, Marissa started her consultancy business, Food Microbiology Solutions Ltd.  She works with food businesses of all sizes providing microbiology consultancy; such as advising on testing schedules, shelf-life and risk assessments.

Having always had a keen interest in cheese, Marissa joined the SCA Technical Committee and SALSA plus Cheese auditing team in 2012.   As well as her work on the Technical Committee, Marissa provides Cheese Microbiology and HACCP training to EHOs, Cheesemakers and other auditors.  Her training style is friendly and engaging with lots of practical advice.

An in-depth knowledge of food microbiology and the ability to explain complex issues means that Marissa is called upon to help businesses having micro problems.  She also provides expert advice to insurance brokers and underwriters who manage recall insurance.

Gill Palmer – Palmer & Randall Ltd (Buckinghamshire)

Gill joined Express Dairy in 1982 after graduating in Agriculture from University of Reading during which time she relief milked on dairy farms. Gill subsequently worked in the dairy industry, including a period in cheddar production at North Tawton Creamery. In more recent years, Gill worked throughout the food chain with small and large manufacturing companies and a major retailer, working particularly in the dairy, meat and ready-to-eat sectors offering technical support, auditing and training. Gill has undertaken audits of cheese producers, both British and Continental, throughout her career against a variety of standards, including BRC, retailer standards and SALSA/SALSA plus Cheese. Gill has also worked extensively in food safety, and is particularly passionate about the practical application of HACCP. Gill has provided HACCP training for many personnel (including EHOs on behalf of the FSA) and has recently worked to develop the SALSA HACCP training programmes.

Hannah Jackson - HJ Food Safety Consulting (Kent)

Hannah is one of our newer auditors. She has a strong technical background spread across various fields from dairy to sushi, fresh produce and many more. She is experienced in auditing across a wide range of sectors within food manufacturing to SALSA, BRC and Retailer Standards.

Sarah de Wit - Manor House Consultancy (West Yorkshire)

Sarah has committed to building a successful career within food manufacturing & the retail business over the past 30 years,  graduating in a BSC (Hons) degree of food science & management. For 19 years,  Sarah  worked in New product development, quality management and technical roles at both the Co-operative &  Asda Stores Ltd.  For much of this time,  Sarah managed NPD & technical in the cheese & dairy category.. In 2017, Sarah set up Manor House Consultancy Ltd. providing independent and expert advice & services, helping companies establish their businesses and build their food safety production systems including HACCP, working procedures, manufacture efficiency, food labelling & packaging design, traceability and all aspects of food legislation & regulations. Auditing cheese makers & dairies  has been part of Sarah’s responsibility for many years. In October 2019, she joined the Technical committee of the Specialist Cheese Makers Association,  qualified as a Lead Auditor and became a Fellow in IFST & is on the IFST professional register of mentors and auditors. Sarah is an approved SALSA plus cheese mentor & auditor.  Last year,  she updated her HACCP to training to RSPH Level 4 Award, in ‘Managing the HACCP system’  

In 2020, Sarah co-founded the annual Virtual Cheese Awards during lockdown. She was determined that a cheese awards ‘would’ take place that year to celebrate great British cheese makers. The awards are run by linking judges online to assess the cheeses live. All entrants are able to see their cheeses being expertly judged with direct feedback. A bursary is donated to the SCA yearly.  This year the VCA was a sponsor of the Science of Artisan Cheese making conference.

Susan Alexander – Aaron Scott and Black (Hampshire)

Susan is a Chartered Biologist and Chartered Scientist who has been professionally involved in the dairy industry ever since working on dairy farms while a student. With a particular interest in ungulates, Susan gained an Honours degree in Biology and a post graduate teaching degree. She started her career as a microbiologist at Edgar’s Dairies in the New Forest and her current work includes training Lead Auditors to GFSI-recognised Standards. Candidates on these courses are typically Food Standards Agency veterinary surgeons, EU government veterinary surgeons and public health inspectors, and Environmental Health Officers, which means that understanding legal compliance is always at the forefront of Susan’s work.

Susan runs her own company, Aaron Scott and Black, offering services to food businesses as a certified auditor, consultant, business mentor and trainer (specialising in HACCP). Susan is always interested to understand the unique challenges that dairy producers face, and in particular to help raw milk and specialist cheesemakers in achieving their goals.

Sharon Brown - Accar Food Commit (Somerset)

Sharon runs a Food Consultancy Business, Accar Food Commit. With 30 years’ experience in twelve food sectors including Dairy, she’s passionate about making a difference whatever the task and whatever the business size. She’s an experienced SALSA auditor and mentor, as well as a lead auditor for BRCGS Food & ISO9001:2015 with BRCGS Professional status. Beyond SALSA plus Cheese auditing, her services include helping businesses install, maintain, and improve their systems to ensure the very best food safety standards are continually in place. Her love of all things Dairy and Cheese has bought her to the SCA Technical Committee, and she really looking forward to being fully involved in the world of cheese and assisting in whatever way possible.

Richard Wigley

Richard Wigley graduated with a degree in food science from Nottingham Trent University in 2000 and for 35 years has worked in site based food manufacturing technical management roles.  For 19 years Richard was the Senior Technical Manager for the Food and Drink Forum Ltd., a not-for-profit SME food manufacturing support organisation, delivering (personally & through a team) proper industry funded and commercial support across the East Midlands/nationally and managing 1 of 3 UK Food Manufacturing Parks in Nottingham; a centre of food manufacturing excellence for the region.  Richard is also a qualified Lead Auditor, Trainer and has Advanced HACCP & higher level Food Industry Sustainability/Health & Safety.qualifications. Currently Richard supports food and drink businesses mostly in the Midlands in all areas of technical as an independent consultant including BRCGS Standards/FSSC22000 and for over 10 years as a registered SALSA Mentor and Auditor.  Richard has a lifelong passion for UK artisan cheese production.

Kerry Newton, Independant Consultant (Bedfordshire)

As an Independent Food Safety, Quality and Integrity Consultant, Microbiologist, FIFST, MBA with over 40 years of experience in food manufacture, Kerry draws from a unique combination of business experience, a science and technical background and specialist cheese and dairy knowledge.

During many years with a major retailer, she has done extensive auditing, standard setting, problem solving, cheese judging and training sessions. She now enjoys sharing her experience on a consultancy basis.

Geraint Evans

Geraint graduated with a Food Manufacturing Degree from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1994 having spent his placement year at The Snack Factory, a crisp and snack manufacturer. He went on to work for McVities, Grand Metropolitan, Padley’s (Moy Park), ABF and Cranswick group in a range of Technical Roles from NPD technologist to Technical Manager. In 2000  he went to work for the University of Nebraska where he spent a year as a product development technologist for UNL’s Food Processing Center, helping Entrepreneurs to turn family recipes into successful commercial products. Following a promotion he then went onto manage the Biological Process Development facilities Fermentation Plant for almost three years manufacturing clinical trial drugs and vaccines for the U.S. Army.
Returning to the UK, he undertook a Part Time MSc at Derby University whilst working at 3M healthcare as a Validation Engineer qualifying in 2006 and began working as an Environmental Health Officer for North Lincolnshire Council undertaking Food Safety and Health & Safety work as a regulator. After three years he joined Teesside University as a Senior Lecturer to help get their accredited Environmental Health Degree going. He also worked as a guest lecturer in that role at Wuhan Polytechnic University in China, going back to work for a local authority, and then onto South Taranaki District Council in New Zealand as an Environmental Health Officer.
Returning to the UK worked at Tommy Tuckers Popcorn as a private consultant until going onto work for SGS as an Auditor for Aldi, then Southall’s doing Food and Health & Safety audits for a wide range of businesses across the UK. Currently he works as a contract Environmental Health Officer for West Lindsey Council.

Fidelma Pogorelow

Fidelma is a food safety graduate with over 25 years’ experience within a range of both high and low risk  food and beverage products.

She supports businesses on BRCGS, SALSA, FSA and Food Hygiene Ratings standards, along with Red Tractor and Soil Association. She provides ongoing guidance to help the  business’s food safety system grow,  as they increase their market share as well as auditing sites in a range of categories.

Qualified in Food Technology and  level 4 HACCP, IRCA Lead Auditing and internal auditing, level 3 Allergen controls, risk assessing and experience in developing HACCP systems, quality systems, training sessions, auditing programmes, troubleshooting and pioneering culture change.

She  has a friendly approachable personality and is known by clients as being able to simplify the process and explain food safety concepts in an understandable and practical way.

Joshua Macleod, Microbiologist

 Joshua is a microbiologist and PhD student at Cardiff Metropolitan University, specialising in the distribution of   Listeria monocytogenes in the food manufacturing environment and antimicrobial resistance. His research focuses on the genetic and environmental factors influencing bacterial persistence and adaptation in food production environments.

As an academic associate at Cardiff Met, he lectures on microbiology and food safety. He is particularly passionate about bridging the gap between academic research and the extensive practical knowledge held by food manufacturers, fostering collaboration between science and industry.

Katy Fenwick

Katy Fenwick began working in specialist cheese in retail – first with Selfridges and then at Neals Yard Dairy. She  then spent a number of years at the School of Artisan Food as dairy course technician and then as a teacher, delivering classes on cheesemaking and dairy science including developing and delivering the dairy modules for the first cohort of Artisan Food Production Foundation students from Nottingham Trent University.

She then spent 2 years as a working visitor at Jasper Hill in Vermont in order to develop her understanding of affinage and cheesemaking as well as sharing her experiences in teaching and training.

On returning to the UK she worked as head cheesemaker at St James cheese, producing a range of soft sheep and goats’ milk cheeses.

She is the Technical Director for the Academy of Cheese and has written content for their Level 3 certification in addition to delivering some of the teaching.

Katy now works as a freelance consultant and educator specialising in cheesemaking technology and recipe development.