Ensuring Food Safety as Demand for Improved Food System Efficiency Increases

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World Health Day focuses on demonstrating the importance of food safety along the whole length of the food chain in a globalized world. Food safety is the shared responsibility. It is important to work all along the food production chain from farmers, manufactures to vendors and consumers. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. Unsafe food is linked to the deaths of an estimated 2 million people annually including many children. There is an urgent need for strengthening the existing food policies to incorporate the importance of food safety, which is ignored most of the times, improving the food governance. This study is based on exploratory research by reviewing available literature on consumer perception and awareness on food safety in developing countries. The food we eat must be nutritious and safe, but we often ignore or overlook the issue of food safety. There is need to Improve the nutrition center in the country, actively spread information and raise consumer awareness about food safety issues. There are other issues related to the costs of implementation of food safety measures and the compliance with the standards which the Government should take care. There is an urgent need for strengthening the existing food policies to incorporate the importance of food safety. The policy makers must include “safe food” as a top priority and integrating “food safety” in the nutrition and food security policies and programs. Good collaboration between governments, producers and consumers helps ensure food safety.

BackgroundFood supply chain companies are major link for safe food production and distribution. Food safety ensures reduced food losses and, therefore, contributes to food security. Although there have been extensive studies on the food industry with different perspectives, no study has so far been conducted on the challenges in terms of the food security. The present study is a qualitative one conducted in 2019 in one of the largest agricultural production chain companies in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran.ResultsThe research method was based on the conventional content analysis. Triangulation method was used for the data collection being a combination of the participant observations, focus group discussions (17 managers) and semi-structured interviews with the president of the company. Participants believed that their company plays an important role and has a prestigious position in the food security of Iran. However, the main challenges of the company are regulatory system, food safety risks, market unpredictability, traditional management and sanctions.ConclusionsThe company is highly resilient to all these challenges; however, the traditional management is still a serious disadvantage. This leads to the managers’ burnout along with the company survival problem, removing unfair sanctions and protecting agricultural development in developing countries is a necessity. In general, paying attention to the modern organizational management of these companies and their survival is an essential policy. For this reason, it is suggested that trust must be established between policymakers and companies on one hand and relationship between the academia and such companies to promote the organizational management on the other hand.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to ascertain the attitudes of people towards issues of food safety, food security and sustainability. For this, an empirical study was conducted on visitors to the event Milan Expo 2015. Particular attention was paid to any greater propensity to purchase products from socially responsible agri-food companies and whether the event might have contributed to enrich the baggage of their knowledge on the issues of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to influence future buying behaviour.Design/methodology/approachDifferent groups of visiting consumers were identified through cluster analysis in order to segment and divide visitors into groups based on their approach to food safety, food security and sustainability, their willingness to pay for products from companies practising CSR, and the impact of the event on their future buying behaviour.FindingsThe results showed a positive attitude of respondents towards issues of food safety, food security and sustainability in general and to the purchase of sustainable food products. However, due to shortcomings in the communication strategy used by companies attending the event, the sample of visitors did not enrich their knowledge on sustainability and CSR. The impact of Expo 2015 on future buying behaviour was far from impressive.Originality/valueThe findings are particularly useful for the future development of the reputation and profitability of food companies, for the enrichment of knowledge concerning CSR-oriented food companies and to increase the price of products from socially responsible agri-food companies.

Over last two decades, the research and evaluation paradigm in agri-food sector has shifted towards comprehensive perspective called sustainable food system. The heavy pressure on earth bio-capacity and massive environmental externalities, biodiversity loss, climate change impacts on agricultural supply and food security, food safety and health issues, and consumers’ cultural concern are major factors induced to change the perspective from agri-food supply chain to sustainable food system. Although the sustainable food system perspective has become important paradigm in researches and impact evaluation studies on agri-food system recently, the studies at this perspective are missing in Türkiye. The aim of this study is to fulfil this gap in literature and provide evidences for policy makers. This study evaluates the food system and agri-food policies in Türkiye consisting of the state of the agri-food sector, historical evaluation of agri-foo policy transform, climate change policies and environment, rural development measures, agri-food policy impact studies, and the performance level of sustainable food system indicators. Türkiye initiated the process of transformation of food systems in 2019 with an aim “to create sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems”. National Program for Agricultural Support Policy is announced each year as a Presidency Decision. The scope of agricultural support measures and its relative importance in GDP has not considerable changed much for over three decades. Nevertheless, it has been observed a positive development in most of the sustainable food system indicators. However, especially food and nutrition indicators have not considerable improved and it has been even worsened in some subcategories during the last decade. Although national policy agenda and documents cover the transition towards sustainable food system, monitoring-evaluation system and assessment of national agri-food policies considering sustainability dimension data and indicators is lacking.

In recent years, the rising income level of the population and the young consumer force brought about a continuous improvement and upgrading of the diet structure and rapid growth of the food cold chain logistics market. However, frequent outbreaks of food quality and safety issues have raised consumer concerns. As the key link of cold chain logistics, cold chain transportation has a direct and important impact on the freshness of food and even food safety. Facing the current situation of imperfect food cold chain transportation systems, it is necessary to make full use of artificial intelligence algorithms and convenient framework platforms in order to reduce food loss rates, strengthen transportation efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. In this paper, we study and summarize the application of artificial intelligence in cold chain transportation, and optimize the path planning problem of cold chain logistics delivery vehicles by using the bee colony algorithm. The environmental monitoring system and cold chain precise regulation cloud platform are used in the transportation process to monitor the external environment and guarantee the quality of food transportation. In the scheduling of cold chain transportation vehicles, the optimized ant colony algorithm is used to resolve the vehicle scheduling problem. The problem of specific vehicle search directionality from the scheduling source point to the target point of the logistics center is included in the optimization consideration, which will greatly improve the vehicle scheduling time and distance efficiency. The combination of artificial intelligence technology in cold chain transportation can reduce the average 10% of human and material resources and effectively improve the quality of transported food, thus reducing transportation costs and food loss and ensuring food safety and sustainable development.

Food waste has been identified as one of the major factors that constitute numerous anthropogenic activities, especially in developing countries. There is a growing problem with food waste that affects every part of the waste management system, from collection to disposal; finding long-term solutions necessitates involving all participants in the food supply chain, from farmers and manufacturers to distributors and consumers. In addition to food waste management, maintaining food sustainability and security globally is crucial so that every individual, household, and nation can always get food. “End hunger, achieve food security and enhanced nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture” are among the main challenges of global sustainable development (SDG) goal 2. Therefore, sustainable food waste management technology is needed. Recent attention has been focused on global food loss and waste. One-third of food produced for human use is wasted every year. Source reduction (i.e., limiting food losses and waste) and contemporary treatment technologies appear to be the most promising strategy for converting food waste into safe, nutritious, value-added feed products and achieving sustainability. Food waste is also employed in industrial processes for the production of biofuels or biopolymers. Biofuels mitigate the detrimental effects of fossil fuels. Identifying crop-producing zones, bioenergy cultivars, and management practices will enhance the natural environment and sustainable biochemical process. Traditional food waste reduction strategies are ineffective in lowering GHG emissions and food waste treatment. The main contribution of this study is an inventory of the theoretical and practical methods of prevention and minimization of food waste and losses. It identifies the trade-offs for food safety, sustainability, and security. Moreover, it investigates the impact of COVID-19 on food waste behavior.

ABSTRACTThe food industry is facing increasing pressures with issues of food safety, waste and sustainable development for a growing population, while using limited resources. We propose a methodology that combines processing time and cost (PTC) with operational risk (ORk) to address these challenges while considering economic interest of each player in the supply chain environment. Quantitative results from a global food company are presented, which show that the joint analysis of PTC and ORk, in contrast with each of the single objective approaches, results in quantifiable, tangible insights for actual practice. The step-by-step optimisation enables each player to reconfigure its activities for competitive advantage.

The issue of food fraud, safety and contaminants remains a topic of public concern, as it has been aligned to potential food scarcity. However, nanotechnology presents a promising opportunity for improving various industries, including food, agriculture, and health. This article aims to examine the potential of nanotechnology in enhancing food safety in Ghana, and its efficacy in addressing prevalent food safety challenges. Nano‐based approaches, such as nano‐packaging, nano‐sensing, nano‐additives, and other nano‐techniques, are discussed as effective methods for addressing major and emerging food safety issues in Ghana, such as food contaminants, antimicrobial resistance, food fraud and adulteration, and poor sanitary conditions. Additionally, the ethical and safety implications of these nano‐based approaches and particles are also deliberated.

This study investigated food safety issues as perceived by food companies and food safety authorities in six countries in Europe and Central Asia. A total of 66 companies and 16 authorities participated in the survey. The results provide important insights related to what the main food safety priorities are, how they are addressed in the countries that participated in the survey, and what the role of the main stakeholders is in the food value chain. Almost 50% of food companies identified 'food fraud' as the most influential food safety attribute. One-third of food safety authorities recognized 'food safety management system' as the most influential food safety attribute. Principal component analysis separated food safety statements into two dimensions named 'food safety hazards and risks' and 'food safety system'. Although there are slight differences in food safety statements between the two stakeholders, i.e., food companies and food safety authorities, it is the country of origin that plays a more important role in understanding their views. Food companies will need to implement a systemic approach and transform the entire food value chain continuum while considering new food safety challenges. It is expected that food safety authorities will have to play a more proactive role in the future.

Canada’s food system has evolved under pressure to constantly produce more and do so more efficiently. However, the drive for increased productivity has also led to rising levels of food loss and waste. In Canada, over half of our annual food supply is discarded. Wasted resources, economic costs, pollution and growing numbers of citizens who are food insecure underline the importance of tackling this critical public policy issue. The aim of this paper is to better understand food loss and waste in Canada’s food system and offer suggestions for policy action. Canada’s food system is interconnected and food loss and waste occur at every level of the supply chain. They are the result of multiple and cumulative activities and the economic, social and environmental impacts are considerable. Consumers and businesses fail to adequately measure and account for the costs of waste and this is a reflection of how our society values food. There has been a general disregard for food loss and waste in the pursuit of maximizing output/economic growth, meeting market demands and keeping food prices low. COVID-19’s impact has shed light on the strengths and vulnerabilities of Canada’s food system. Disruptions in our supply chains garnered media attention and food security concerns became top of mind for many Canadians. Diverting food can help alleviate food insecurity but it can also serve an important role in reducing food waste. However, there are key challenges to facilitating food rescue that have been highlighted and exacerbated over the last year, including lack of infrastructure and co-ordination, misconceptions about food safety and worries related to cost and liability. Reducing the problem of food loss and waste in Canada’s food system will require a unified strategy and committed leadership. Policy action should be directed at enhancing measurement, education, innovation and policy reform. Reducing avoidable loss and waste through policy measures that enable prevention and diversion will ultimately strengthen our food system by wasting fewer resources, finding new economic opportunities, preventing environmental damage and alleviating food insecurity.

ABSTRACTFood safety is a critical public health concern for preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring consumer protection. Food safety hazards may present throughout the food supply chain, from farm to fork, posing significant health risks. This comprehensive review explored the prevalent food safety hazards in Bangladesh and highlighted the smart sensor technologies for hazard detection. By reviewing recent literature on food safety hazards in the Bangladeshi food web, this study discusses the potential consequences of these hazards and their detection methods. Finally, a critical evaluation of the existing food safety challenges in Bangladesh and smart sensor‐based detection techniques are provided. Bacterial pathogens, agrochemical residues, toxic food preservatives, and adulteration are highly prevalent in the Bangladeshi food chain. The key food safety challenges of the country are the lack of public awareness, unhygienic practices in food handling and preparation, multiplicity of laws and lack of coordination among regulatory authorities, bureaucratic complexities, and lack of inadequate infrastructure and skilled human resources. Smart sensor‐based detection offers a promising solution to the limitations of conventional food hazard determination techniques, providing rapid and accurate results with low cost, portability, and ease of operation, thereby significantly enhancing the country’s food safety scenario. This review may help policymakers, regulatory authorities, and academicians to better understand the existing challenges in the Bangladeshi food chain and to develop more effective strategies for mitigating risks, ensuring food safety, and enhancing public health.

The modern food supply chain (FSC) faces pressing challenges, including food fraud, safety and security issues, food waste and sustainability concerns. Simultaneously, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in understanding the origins and pathways of their food. To tackle these challenges, digitisation and traceable FSCs are vital. However, numerous obstacles hinder the widespread adoption of traceability in digital FSCs. This study identifies and explores interconnections between barriers to traceability adoption in digital FSCs through an integrated DELPHI and Fuzzy DEMATEL approach. The findings highlight that Education and Training Gaps (B13), Data Integration Challenges (B14), Data Silos (B10), Environmental Sustainability Concerns (B16) and Short‐Term Focus (B17) are among the most influential barriers, impacting several other challenges. To mitigate these barriers, the study proposes a nine‐pillar framework. The insights derived from this research can support government agencies, policymakers and agro‐food industries in advancing traceability adoption across digital FSCs.

Analysis of Food Safety and Security Challenges in Emerging African Food Producing Areas through a One Health Lens: The Dairy Chains in Mali

Food security exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Food security is built on four pillars: availability, access, utilization and stability. Food and nutrition security embraces meeting energy, protein and nutrient needs for healthy life. Food systems overlap with agricultural systems in the area of food production, but also comprise the diverse set of institutions, technologies and practices that govern the way food is marketed, processed, transported, accessed and consumed. The food system activities are grouped into four categories: producing food, processing and packaging food, distributing and retailing food, and consuming food. The review paper aims at highlighting the connections and linkages between food sustainability and food security. There are very strong linkages between food and nutrition security, responsible environmental stewardship and greater fairness in food management. They intersect in agricultural and food systems at the global, national and local levels. Today, the main concern for the food and agricultural sector is to provide simultaneously enough food, in quantity and quality, to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population and to conserve natural resources for future generations. A sustainable food system supports food security, makes optimal use of natural and human resources, is culturally acceptable and accessible, environmentally sound and economically fair and viable, and provides the consumer with nutritionally adequate, safe, healthy and affordable food for present and future generations. Changes in both food consumption and food production are important to ensure more sustainable food systems and to achieve food and nutrition security in the Mediterranean region. Since diets sustainability is of paramount importance for achieving food and nutrition security, there is an urgent need to design and implement appropriate policies to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the current food consumption patterns.