FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal – July 2019

(^8) FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal July 2019 http://www.industrysourcing.com

F

OR TODAY’s consumers, food transparency is no

longer an option but a requirement. They want to

be informed about what’s in their food, where it is

sourced from, and what the ingredient claims really

mean. What do manufacturers mean when they say

“no artificial preservatives, no added flavouring or colour?”

The level of consumer awareness has risen over the past

decade, amplified by a greater sense of acknowledgement

that they have the right to demand higher quality food, that is

ethnically sourced and safe to consume. These rights also affect

the accessibility of agricultural food producers to global markets,

which are integral to the economic development and profitability

of the business.

While food safety guidelines are available to manufacturers,

ensuring the elimination of hazardous factors such as microbial,

chemical or physical require efforts beyond implementation.

Understandably, when undetected with the naked eye, the

penetration of microbiological and chemical threats can spread

from production to consumption. Microbial contamination

can occur when moisture is trapped in food packaging that is

inadequately handled and can cause serious health repercussions.

It can even occur with the presence of contaminated water when

produce is cooled, washed or transported within packing and

storage facilities. Other contributing factors to food spoilage

include fertilisers, contaminated water and soil, unhygienic

equipment, and workers who do not follow food safety and

hygiene regulations.

“The food industry has progressively realigned its priorities

with the emergence of these constraints, that is, to identify food

contamination before it enters the supply chain. Maintaining

accurate tracking of the conditions and freshness of products

Intelligent food

preservation

feature

right through to final

delivery are top priorities,”

says Nalin Amunugama,

General Manager of BOGE

Kompressoren Asia Pacific,

a leading air compressor

system solutions provider.

The industry, he adds,

is aware that it has to keep

up with the changing needs

and perspectives of today’s

tech-savvy consumers, and

this means pouring more

investment into research and

development, and coming up

with better technologies and

strategies to address food

safety challenges across the

entire supply chain.

Unchecked food deterioration

With a global and complex food supply, it is almost

impossible for food producers and retailers to identify the

provenance of their products; increasing chances of food fraud

occurrence at any point along the supply chain. The World Health

Organisation (WHO) approximated 420,000 deaths in 2018,

with 1 in 10 people falling ill by consuming contaminated food.

Food fraud is estimated to cost up to 15% of annual revenues

for companies caught in food scandals and still poses a constant

threat to our food supply, thus intensifying the pressure to solve

and eliminate food safety outbreaks. If not identified and isolated

Nalin Amunugama, General Manager,

BOGE Kompressoren Asia Pacific

The penetration of microbiological and chemical

threats can spread from production to consumption.