The UK based food research group said the new document identifies the key drivers for assuring food and drink safety and quality in a globalised supply chain from now until 2011.
According to Campden BRI, The scientific and technical needs of the agri-food and drink chain, reflects the industry’s view of its own requirements and it follows a year-long consultation phase with senior industry-led advisory panels.
The publication claims the increasing globalisation of food and drink production and supply, with many ingredients now sourced from different countries, raises many scientific and technical issues in terms of supply chain management, traceability, communication, culture, and analysis and testing.
In addition, the document stresses any re-formulation of products to adhere to regulatory requirements must be achieved without compromising product safety.
Increasing consumer demand for information regarding the ‘extended quality attributes’ of goods such as environmental impact, fair trade, animal welfare, ‘additives’, organic, geographical origin and social responsibility is also increasing the pressure on manufacturers: “Assuring these requires not just ‘systems’, but science and technology for the supply chain to support and police the systems,” said the authors.
The section on manufacturing and supply identifies needs around the areas of sustainable practices and cost optimisation through materials, energy, waste and environment management, as well as the protection of the health, safety and welfare of operatives.
And the research group said that if the practices listed to achieve enhanced food and drink safety are met by the industry it will lead to better assurance of the safety of raw materials, ingredients and final products.
Moreover, the publication, claims Campden BRI, will provide the framework for its industry-sponsored programme of strategic and applied research and development, helping to ensure that the projects over the next few years are targeted at industry’s needs.
A free copy of the publication can be acquired by emailing pubs ‘at’ campden.co.uk