History of ASI
American Sanitation Institute
"Sanitation is a way of life." So said
Louis G. Hugé in the 1930s, when he founded American Sanitation Institute.
At a time when government programs and their acronyms meant recovery and
relief from the Depression and the Dust Bowl, this innovative Indiana
native took his ideas and placed them—sight unseen—on every
dining room table and restaurant in America. Even though the average American
couldn't see those ideas or touch them or even taste them, every cook,
food processor, and bottle washer could appreciate what Hugé and ASI had
done: made the art of food manufacturing and the joy of eating safe for
the consumer. Although Hugé founded the company in St. Louis with the intent of teaching plant managers and plant personnel how to keep food manufacturing facilities pest-free, by the late 1940s and early 1950s the food industry itself had become unwieldy in both its size and its scope. From the classrooms to the boardrooms, a new crop of concerns was eating away at the confidence of the rapidly growing food handling industry, and they became increasingly worried and confused about the strict guidelines from the government and the FDA. Were they in compliance with the government's regulations? What were the rules? And most importantly, how could they prevent problems and ensure the public's safety in the manufacture of food? In 1946 when Hugé's son Tom came on board, the company met these new challenges head-on with the development of an inspection system for food processing plants and warehouses. Both the father and the son knew that no matter how modern the food processing facility or how many employees they had on staff, the food could end up tainted if not properly handled. In 1952, with the addition of Dr. Edward Holmes and his master's in food science to its staff, ASI could connect the scientific application of safe food production
to
eliminate germs, cross-contamination, potentially lethal diseases to an
increasingly sophisticated market of global proportions. The company created
comprehensive sanitation checklists that even took to the skies with practical
guidelines for serving meals on flights. Although sanitation might be
standard, the inspection forms developed by Hugé and ASI were custom tailored
to fit a plant or company's particular needs. The solutions they offered
could be as simple as installing a screen door to keep flies away from
food to combating the complex issues of cross-contamination and proper
storage temperature, which required on-site inspections and in-house training
by their experienced staff of auditors and research scientists. In the 21st century, Tom and Gary, grandsons of Louis Hugé and sons of Tom L., have continued the legacy of ASI's founders. Today, the number on staff at the company has grown to 60, the number of audits it conducts each year has risen to more than 4,000, and still the innovative, hard-working, personal touch remains the same. The new millennium and third and fourth generations of the Hugé family have ushered in computerized e-mail reports, instant on-line audit results, in-plant microbiological testing and training, yet their clients can still take comfort and remain confident with the Hugés at the helm. We keep all procedures and forms current to the industry. The name has formally been changed from American Sanitation Institute to ASI Food Safety Consultants, Inc., and educating those who handle food on a day-to-day basis continues to be their number one priority. Companies who have benefited from ASI Food Safety Consultants' expertise and hands-on approach include many of the largest multinational food manufacturers all the way to privately owned, one-location distribution centers. And while the word "sanitation" may have become obsolete in the 21st century, its message remains the same: safety matters. So whether it's a solitary diner in flight, a romantic dinner for two, a family of four sitting down to a home-cooked meal, or a banquet serving 200 guests, the motto and message instituted and embraced by ASI Food Safety Consultants, Inc., remains as timeless as the booming voice of its founder: Sanitation is a way of life. The most vital link in the food industry chain. ASI has been there helping thousands of companies and hundreds of thousands of food industry associates and will continue to do so in the new millennium.