Why now is the time to prepare for FSMA 204

By Geoff Olsen
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In recent years, food recalls have become a concern for the food and beverage (F&B) industry, with regulatory bodies tightening oversight as the number of recall-related incidents continues to rise. The F&B industry is no stranger to recalls, but recent trends indicate a steady increase in frequency, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issuing 313 recalls in 2023, an 8% increase from the previous year. This uptick can be attributed to various factors, including the detection of undeclared allergens, which made up almost half of food recalls last year, and contamination by harmful bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli.

Consumers are taking notice of these continuous food recalls as a new Gallup poll revealed that Americans’ perspective of the grocery industry has turned negative due to inflation and food safety concerns. It also showed that, for the first time, Americans have more negative views (47%) than positive (33%) of the grocery industry. The growing number of recalls, plus consumer concerns, has intensified calls for stricter compliance and enhanced traceability within the food supply chain.

Major Changes Are Coming

These recalls have become a persistent public health problem, with over 1,100 Americans falling ill from foodborne illnesses linked to recalled products. However, significant steps are being taken to address these concerns in the next few years. To reduce the number of foodborne illnesses, the FDA introduced the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) 204, a regulation requiring F&B businesses to provide detailed traceability information within 24 hours of a recall. Starting in January 2026, this rule will focus on tracking food inputs from suppliers, enabling companies to pinpoint the source of contamination more efficiently.

FSMA 204 will bring major changes to the F&B industry by enhancing traceability requirements for high-risk foods. The rule mandates that companies must improve tracking across the supply chain to ensure key data points are recorded at critical stages of food production, processing, and distribution. This means F&B businesses must implement more stringent record-keeping processes, invest in technology for real-time tracking, and increase collaboration with suppliers to ensure compliance.

However, many organizations aren’t prepared to undergo the data process transformations needed to align with this new traceability rule. Below are a few actionable steps companies can take to prepare their supply chains for FSMA 204:

Investing in Solutions to Streamline Reporting

Despite the wide scale impact FSMA 204 will have across the F&B industry, a main challenge for companies will be updating and investing in new systems and processes to comply with the rule. FSMA 204 mandates that F&B companies provide detailed, accurate traceability data within a 24-hour window during a recall, which requires modern technology capable of handling real-time information. Many existing systems are outdated or not equipped to meet this new level of compliance. As a result, suppliers will need to adopt new software, train staff, and overhaul data management processes. These changes are certain to be time-consuming and raise operational costs. The complexity of this process, especially in a global and multifaceted supply chain, can be overwhelming without the right tools in place.

In addition, suppliers face the challenge of integrating these new systems with their broader supply chain networks. Ensuring seamless communication between suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers is essential for meeting the strict reporting timelines under FSMA 204. The coordination required to share and track data effectively across multiple partners adds an additional layer of complexity. Suppliers must also ensure their traceability solutions are scalable to accommodate future growth and evolving regulations, all while maintaining business continuity and protecting their bottom line.

Investing in scalable technology not only ensures compliance but also enhances business resilience. It provides better visibility into the supply chain, helping businesses respond quickly to disruptions, recall situations, or emerging food safety threats. Furthermore, these solutions enable businesses to streamline their data-sharing processes with trading partners, improving collaboration and reducing the time and resources spent manually documenting transactions.

While this can be costly, investing in robust technology systems and implementing effective food safety quality programs for employees provides the benefit of demonstrating a commitment to food safety and helps ensure smoother operations.

A few solutions suppliers can consider include advanced technologies like supply chain control towers and blockchain. These solutions provide real-time insights into inventory, orders, and potential disruptions, allowing companies to trace food origins and pinpoint contamination sources quickly. Supply chain control towers centralize data collection, management, and analysis, streamlining reporting processes, while blockchain offers a secure, tamper-proof record that ensures data consistency and transparency across all participants in the supply chain. By leveraging these technologies, suppliers can enhance traceability, reduce contamination risks, and build greater consumer trust.

Enhancing Data Consistency

Data consistency works in tandem with the integration of new technologies. The success of any traceability system under FSMA 204 relies on the consistency and accuracy of data collected throughout the supply chain. However, one of the most significant challenges businesses face is ensuring that data is recorded uniformly across different suppliers and systems. Inconsistent or incomplete data can lead to gaps in traceability, making it difficult to track products effectively or respond quickly to a recall. With the new regulation requiring detailed traceability information within 24 hours of a recall, any discrepancies or gaps in data could lead to delays in identifying contamination sources.

To ensure data consistency, suppliers can implement standardized data collection practices and utilize integrated technologies, such as supply chain control towers and blockchain. By implementing uniform data entry protocols across the entire supply chain, suppliers can avoid errors, discrepancies, and miscommunication that often result from inconsistent or fragmented data. Standardization helps streamline reporting and ensures that all parties—from suppliers to distributors—are working from the same set of accurate, reliable information.

Bringing Employees Along on the Journey

Investing in technology and ensuring data consistency are vital steps in preparing for FSMA 204, but they are only part of the equation. For these initiatives to succeed, businesses must also invest in their employees through training and education. Compliance with FSMA 204 requires everyone involved in the food supply chain to understand their role in the traceability process and the importance of accurate data reporting.

Training programs can be implemented at all levels of the organization to educate employees on the new traceability requirements and how they affect day-to-day operations. This includes not only teaching staff how to use new software solutions but also fostering a culture of accountability and food safety awareness, including setting up conversations with employees at every stage of the supply chain. Employees must understand that even minor data collection or reporting lapses can have significant consequences, from costly recalls to legal penalties and damage to brand reputation.

Continuous education is also key to keeping up with the evolving regulatory landscape. As food safety regulations change and new technologies emerge, businesses must keep their teams informed and updated. This can be achieved through regular workshops, webinars, or online courses that keep employees engaged and equipped with the latest knowledge.

The Cost of Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with FSMA 204 can lead to serious consequences for both suppliers and retailers. The FDA has the authority to enforce various penalties, including civil or criminal actions in federal court. It’s important to remember that this rule is considered mandatory, and parties will be under real pressure from the government if they don’t take the necessary steps to ensure the traceability requirements under this act. Non-compliance can lead to legal repercussions for both companies and suppliers in the form of lawsuits and litigation. In addition, the FDA has the authority to impose significant fines, sanctions, and criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Suppliers that are unable to meet FSMA 204 requirements may also face financial loss and damage to the company’s reputation as retailers and manufacturers may decide to switch to more reliable partners. Compliance penalties can also result in lost sales and brand damage that can impact consumers’ decisions.

Operationally, non-compliance with FSMA 204 can disrupt supply chain processes, leading to delays in identifying and resolving contamination issues. The inability to quickly trace food inputs can result in prolonged and costly recalls. Furthermore, non-compliance can strain relationships with trading partners who rely on accurate traceability data for product safety.

Preparing for FSMA 204 requires a multifaceted approach that combines technology, data standardization, and employee engagement. By investing in solutions that streamline reporting, enhance data consistency, and bring employees along through training and education, F&B companies can position themselves for success. These actions will help ensure compliance with FSMA 204 and lead to more efficient, transparent, and resilient supply chains, ultimately improving food safety for consumers.

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Germiest Surface Areas In Restaurants

By Kelly Gavson
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Wiping down table

While food safety remains a vital issue for health and safety in restaurant kitchens, not every part of the premises receives the same careful attention. These sites in particular contain far more germs that can cause the spread of foodborne illness.

Food contamination is a major problem worldwide. Approximately 10% of people will get sick after eating contaminated food each year, and hundreds of thousands of them will die from the resulting illness. While restaurant administrators and staff understand the importance of food safety practices as a way to combat the spread of foodborne illness, not all surfaces receive the same kind of care. These high-contact surfaces often have the most germs in the premises.

Menus

Menus may be one of the hottest touchpoints for the spread of foodborne illness. These laminated sheets or books may hold as many as 185,000 bacteria per square centimeter. The chief reason for this problem lies in proximity and frequency. Menus are touched frequently, sometimes by hundreds of people per day. Once the order has been placed, the menus go back into a stack, where contact allows the germs to spread to one another. Because menus are infrequently cleaned, if at all, the bacteria continues to spread for several days.

Tables

Without regular sanitation of restaurant tables, a single bacterium continues doubling. Researchers estimate that even the most minor contamination of a table can lead to billions of bacteria within hours. Although tables often receive a better cleaning with restaurant cleaning supplies than menus, the cleanliness of these supplies raises several questions. Restaurant staff who use the same washcloth to wipe several tables may inadvertently be spreading bacteria from one table to others. Proper sanitation requires the use of clean tools and sanitizing equipment, but many restaurants lack the staff or time to complete the task between customers.

Chairs

When it comes to breeding spots for bacteria and viruses, chairs present a unique problem. Like tables, restaurant chairs are usually not sanitized between customers and may not even be wiped down regularly. Booth seats, chairs with cushions, and infant high chairs tend to be the worst culprits for growing pathogens. Research estimates that the average restaurant chair contains as much as 184 individual bacteria per square centimeter. These sources are more likely to have examples of intestinal bacteria, such as E. coli.

Toilets

People expect toilets to be dirty and germ-ridden, but even a thorough daily cleaning is not sufficient to combat the spread of bacteria. As the most frequent touchpoint, the toilet seat is the worst of everything in the bathroom. People enter the bathroom after touching the restaurant table, chair, menu, and possibly their own food before they touch the seat. Even if they wash their hands properly afterward, the contact has already happened. Research shows that toilet seats are more likely to contain drug-resistant bacteria, including Staphylococcus.

Bathroom Floors

In areas like the bathroom floor, the survivability of the pathogens becomes an issue. Restaurant bathrooms often receive a thorough cleaning at least once per day. In between those hours with high traffic, bacteria can flourish. Research demonstrates that even bathroom floors that are soaked once a day in a bleach solution will eventually start to grow bacteria at an alarming rate. Although viruses can also be present on bathroom floors, bacteria from skin cells appears to have the best survivability in these conditions.

Ice Machines

The way that restaurants handle the serving of ice can strongly dictate the cleanliness of this surface. A literature review from 2024 showed that most studies indicate that restaurant ice machines have more bacteria than machines producing ice for industrial purposes. Recent research indicates that as much as a quarter of ice used in restaurants tests positive for bacteria. The type and severity depending on the application. Ice machines used to produce ice for food storage are more likely to be contaminated than ice used for drinks, highlighting a key vulnerability in restaurants that use ice machines to perform both functions.

Condiments

Condiment containers, whether they are held in the dining area or back of house, are carriers of all kinds of bacteria. Research shows that, when tracking bacteria spread throughout a restaurant kitchen, spice bottles and condiment containers are contaminated at least half of the time. Researchers suggest that the main reasons condiment containers face such high levels of contamination is that most people do not see them as a threat. In fact, these surfaces can carry bacteria as much as any other surface, which makes them an important consideration for restaurant food safety.

Shared Utensils

Shared utensils, especially those that are used by both staff and patrons, can cause cross-contamination from multiple sources. People touch salad bar tongs, which can transfer bacteria from the food to the plate. Using the same utensils to handle different foods can spread bacteria even further, given that some foods are more likely to carry harmful bacteria than others. The frequency of cleaning or replacement of utensils can help, but only if the food sources remain uncontaminated.

Designing a restaurant to prevent the spread of foodborne illness requires a plan to sanitize all high-touch surfaces. By examining the contamination risk of these surfaces in particular, restaurant administrators can devise sanitation strategies that further minimize the risk of bacterial growth in the restaurant.

SOURCES

World Health Organization (WHO). (2022, May 19). Food safety. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety

Rathey, A. P. (2024, December 19). Measuring Cleaning Performance Like an Athlete. Cleaning & Maintenance Management. https://cmmonline.com/articles/beware-of-germs-on-the-menu

developer. (2018, May 21). How Many Germs Are On Your Restaurant Table? Sani Professional. https://saniprofessional.com/how-many-germs-are-on-your-restaurant-table/

Patel, D., Stansell, J., Jaimes, M., Ferris, K., & Webb, G. (2016). A Survey of Microbial Contamination on Restaurant Nonfood-Contact Surfaces. Journal of Food Safety, 37(1), e12287. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfs.12287

Ibrahim, K., Tahsin, M., Rahman, A., Rahman, S. M., & Rahman, M. M. (2024). Surveillance of Bacterial Load and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria on Surfaces of Public Restrooms. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(5), 574. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050574

Gibbons, S. M., Schwartz, T., Fouquier, J., Mitchell, M., Sangwan, N., Gilbert, J. A., & Kelley, S. T. (2014). Ecological Succession and Viability of Human-Associated Microbiota on Restroom Surfaces. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 81(2), 765–773. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.03117-14

Triggiano, F., Apollonio, F., Giusy Diella, Marcotrigiano, V., & Caggiano, G. (2024). State of the Art in Hygienic Quality of Food Ice Worldwide: A Ten-Year Review. Microorganisms, 12(4), 690–690. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040690

KIRCHNER, M., GOULTER, R. M., CHAPMAN, B. J., CLAYTON, J., & JAYKUS, L.-A. (2021). Cross-Contamination on Atypical Surfaces and Venues in Food Service Environments. Journal of Food Protection, 84(7), 1239–1251. https://doi.org/10.4315/jfp-20-314

Huber, D. (2015, November 6). Kitchen utensils can spread bacteria between foods, UGA study finds – Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. https://ctegd.uga.edu/kitchen-utensils-can-spread-bacteria-between-foods-uga-study-finds/

Intuitive Leadership: Unlocking Better Outcomes in Food Safety Compliance

By Ainsley Lawrence
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A production line runs smoothly by every measurable standard. The gauges read normal, and quality checks pass, yet an experienced manager picks up on subtle irregularities in the process flow. That pause for additional testing reveals a critical safety risk — one that standard protocols alone might have missed. These pivotal moments are the essential connection between established safety procedures and professional insight into food production environments.

Professional judgment is the secret sauce in food safety, built through extensive experience and refined observation. Combined with rigorous compliance standards, this instinctive understanding creates a powerful foundation for protecting public health and maintaining operational excellence.

The practice of blending data-driven protocols with well-developed professional insight leads to faster threat identification, more effective risk management, and ultimately stronger safety outcomes across the food production chain.

The Science of Intuition in Decision-Making

Split-second gut feelings in food production environments stem from a complex interplay of experience, knowledge, and rapid cognitive processing. The brain processes countless subtle cues — slight variations in equipment sounds, minor changes in product appearance, small shifts in temperature patterns — comparing them against stored memories of previous experiences. This mental processing occurs below conscious awareness, producing insights that manifest as gut feelings or professional hunches.

As this singular observation becomes many through repetition, the brain subconsciously picks up on patterns, anomalies, and deviations that could prove perilous for consumers. To help build your intuition, you can train your brain’s ability to recognize patterns while painstakingly building your own experience-based mental model of the food safety process.

Pattern Recognition in Food Safety

The mind catalogs countless details during daily operations, creating an internal database of normal conditions and potential warning signs. These mental patterns form through years of hands-on experience, becoming an invaluable tool for early risk detection. When subtle deviations occur, this stored knowledge triggers recognition, often before conventional monitoring systems detect an issue.

Production environments present complex, interconnected variables that require rapid assessment. Successful food safety leaders develop an acute awareness of normal operational patterns, allowing quick identification of potential issues. This ability to spot subtle variations from standard conditions provides crucial extra time for investigation and correction of developing problems.

Building Experience-Based Mental Models

Mental models in food safety develop through repeated exposure to both routine operations and crisis situations. These frameworks combine technical knowledge, regulatory requirements, and practical experience into a comprehensive understanding. The resulting insight allows for rapid assessment of complex situations and informed decision-making under pressure.

The development of reliable mental models requires systematic exposure to varied scenarios and careful analysis of outcomes. Each experience adds to the framework, refining and expanding the ability to recognize potential issues. This accumulated knowledge becomes particularly valuable during high-pressure situations when time constraints demand quick, accurate decisions.

The Role of Reputation in Food Safety Compliance

Food safety excellence paves the path toward consistent, reliable performance, not just barebones regulatory compliance. Each operational decision carries weight, influencing immediate safety outcomes and long-term market position. Strategic approaches to reputation management demonstrate how proactive safety measures protect both public health and brand value. Every action within the production chain builds or diminishes this foundation of safety excellence.

Market trust takes years to establish yet remains fragile. Food safety leadership requires maintaining high standards while preparing for potential challenges. This dual focus on prevention and preparedness creates a resilient framework that supports both operational excellence and brand protection. Small lapses in judgment or execution can ripple through an organization, affecting stakeholder confidence and stability.

Building Trust Through Consistent Performance

A strong reputation in food safety stems from daily operational excellence. Each quality check, each verified process, and each maintained standard contributes to a track record of reliability. These accumulated actions create a buffer of trust that proves invaluable during challenging situations. When unexpected challenges that could damage trust occur, this buffer helps assure consumers.

Success in food safety requires more than avoiding failures — it demands creating and maintaining systems that consistently exceed basic requirements. This proactive approach builds credibility with regulatory bodies, business partners, and consumers while establishing a culture of excellence that permeates all operational levels.

Managing Crisis Situations

Crisis management in food safety demands both swift action and careful consideration. The ability to recognize potential issues early allows for measured responses that address problems while maintaining stakeholder confidence. This balance between speed and precision defines effective crisis management. Where others would freeze or falter, decisive leaders know when to lean on data, gut instinct, or a combination of the two.

Successful crisis navigation relies on preparation, clear communication channels, and established response protocols. When combined with well-developed professional judgment, these elements enable rapid, effective responses that minimize impact while maintaining transparency and trust. The focus remains on protecting public health while preserving the operational integrity that supports long-term success.

Cultivating Intuition in Food Safety Leadership

Professional judgment in food safety grows through structured practice and mindful observation. The most effective safety cultures develop when leaders actively cultivate awareness at every level, creating environments where signs of potential issues receive prompt attention as merited by their respective urgency. This systematic approach to developing professional insight strengthens the entire safety framework while leaving room to adapt.

The integration of intuitive understanding with formal safety protocols creates robust protection against emerging risks. By facilitating open communication about safety concerns, organizations build collective expertise that enhances both individual judgment and system-wide effectiveness.

Developing Professional Judgment

Building reliable intuition requires exposure to varied operational scenarios and careful reflection on outcomes. Regular practice in risk assessment, combined with systematic analysis of decisions, creates a deeper understanding of complex safety dynamics. This deliberate approach transforms experience into actionable insight.

Effective judgment develops through the careful balance of confidence and verification. Each decision provides an opportunity to refine understanding, building a foundation of knowledge that supports swift, accurate responses to emerging situations. This growing expertise becomes particularly valuable during non-standard situations that demand quick assessment.

Creating a Culture of Vigilance

Strong safety cultures grow from consistent attention to detail and shared commitment to excellence. When organizations support the development of professional judgment at all levels, they create multiple layers of protection against potential risks. This distributed awareness strengthens the entire safety system but is only as useful as its weakest link. Where vigilance is concerned, you want to shore up your weak spots while continuing to refine what you do well.

Maintaining high safety standards requires ongoing dedication to both individual and collective development. Regular practice in risk assessment, combined with open discussion of observations and concerns, builds organizational expertise that supports both routine operations and crisis response. As with many things, this ultimately boils down to clear communication.

Final Thoughts

Food safety excellence stems from combining seasoned professional judgment with meticulously paced protocols. The integration of well-developed intuition, strong compliance practices, and careful reputation management lays the groundwork for better safety leadership, creating robust yet flexible systems capable of pivoting to address routine challenges and critical situations alike.

Food safety demands leaders who balance quick insights with verification, supporting decisions with both experience and data. This combination of refined professional judgment and rigorous standards builds the foundation for operational excellence, creating lasting protection for public health while maintaining the highest levels of food safety integrity.

 

 

Using Technology to Create the World’s Most Advanced Food Defense System

By Arjun Ganesan
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Food Defense is a new approach to protecting the food supply chain, and it uses advanced data analytics to better understand and respond to threats. It allows food producers to better understand risks, take the most effective steps to mitigate them, and enable operational and financial efficiencies within their businesses.

The poultry industry is under constant threat, from the emergence of new pathogens and shifting consumer preferences to heightened regulatory demands and intricate supply chain networks. As poultry producers spend millions to uphold safety, quality, and profitability, proposed regulations from the USDA and shifting political winds add yet another layer of uncertainty. Companies are drowning in information, but cannot act on them without intelligent, data-driven systems.

Creating an Integrated Approach

A new approach called Food Defense involves using data analytics to better understand and respond to costly diseases and pathogens. It seamlessly integrates advanced diagnostics, data analytics, and software solutions. This comprehensive digital command center for the food supply chain helps producers monitor productivity in near real-time.

Advanced diagnostics and software allow producers to identify and trace harmful microbes with a level of detail that goes beyond traditional methods, which can be costly and represent only a snapshot in time. Emergent tools add rich data to Food Defense systems and can provide insights into gut health, productivity, and microbial loads, which support informed decision-making at the operations level.

In tandem with these diagnostic tools, the integration of supply chain traceability and visibility technology has revolutionized how food products are monitored from farm to table. By combining mobile surveillance systems, CRISPR sequencing, and epidemiological models, companies have developed robust barriers against pathogens, which includes real-time tracking systems to ensure the rapid identification and containment of microbes – enabling efficiencies between live operations and the plant.

The inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in these systems represents another significant leap forward. By processing vast amounts of unstructured data – from government reports and news articles to scientific research – AI-driven platforms can now conduct predictive analytics that identify potential risks before they become tangible threats.

To bring all these components together, software-driven intelligence plays a pivotal role in web interfacing (like SaaS) that supports dynamic data visualization, geospatial analytics, alerts and trend analyses.

This integrated approach – melding diagnostics, data analytics, AI, and software – is yielding a more responsive food system overall.

Realizing True Safety and Productivity

Food defense with a proactive approach not only protects consumer health but strengthens the overall integrity of the food supply chain. Real-time insights that these systems provide into items like flock health and production metrics allow for more efficient resource allocation and targeted intervention strategies, potentially saving producers millions in lost productivity.

For instance, in the poultry industry, companies spend millions of dollars at each plant on anti-microbials and sanitation, regardless of the actual microbial load. In one real-world application, a processor was able to use data-driven techniques to optimize their anti-microbial usage, saving an estimated $500,000 per year at the plant. Food Defense systems can monitor threats and respond with the appropriate interventions, both improving food safety and financial performance. Food defense technologies additionally position companies to meet current compliance requirements and stay ahead of evolving standards.

The Future of Food Defense is Innovation

Food systems are complex and interconnected, and the role of technology in maintaining food safety will continue to grow in importance. Yet, as with any technology-driven solution, certain challenges persist. Maintaining strong cybersecurity practices, effectively managing the vast amounts of data generated, and continually adapting to emerging threats will remain critical priorities.

By harnessing technology to build a more resilient, transparent and efficient food supply system, the industry is moving toward a future where safe, high-quality food becomes the standard, rather than the exception.

Why Falling Inflation is Not Halting Soaring Grocery Costs

By Pascal Yammine
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Food industry suppliers face enormous challenges as they balance safety standards with affordability. Suppliers must navigate these responsibilities while dealing with steadily increasing costs, from predicting supply needs to maintaining proper storage conditions to ensuring public safety protocols.

Pricing is more critical than ever, directly impacting a company’s brand, financial stability, and the overall
buying and selling experience. As businesses face challenges like inflation, supply chain issues, and market
volatility, rising grocery prices in the U.S. have pushed consumer frustration to new heights. Food industry
suppliers face enormous challenges as they balance safety standards with affordability. Suppliers must
navigate these responsibilities while dealing with steadily increasing costs, from predicting supply needs to
maintaining proper storage conditions to ensuring public safety protocols.

Regardless of recent claims1 that big retailers are cutting back prices, consumers report feeling the opposite
at the grocery store – for 37% of them, monthly grocery spending has become unaffordable. Our 2024
Consumer Price Index Survey2 of 2,000 Americans uncovered interesting findings about rising prices,
consumers’ understanding of supply and demand, perspectives on dynamic pricing, and views on pricing
transparency and brand loyalty. The results from the survey also indicate how retailers should adapt their
pricing strategies to meet evolving consumer demands, particularly around pricing transparency, to improve
their brand loyalty and customer relationships.

Consumer Sentiment

Consumers are increasingly frustrated from the moment they step into the store to the moment they reach
the register and must shell out hundreds of dollars on a basic basket of food. What was once a mundane
and accessible chore for most households has become a panicky and worrisome task for the everyday
shopper.

In the survey, 61% of consumers have seen their typical grocery prices rise in the last six months. Similarly,
households are spending an average of $61.49 more per month since inflation began dropping. This signals
that although inflation is falling at a steady pace, the prices of groceries are remaining high due to the costs
the grocery stores are incurring.

Despite changes in supply, demand and production costs, only 37% of consumers agreed that adjusting
prices based on supply and demand made sense, and only 15% felt that prices should rise on goods in low
supply but high demand. Interestingly, we found that 33% of consumers are more accepting of price increases when they are linked to rising production costs. This indicates that although consumers may or may not grasp the basics of supply and demand, they do not believe that the market challenges that producers must bear should be passed on to them and that demand should not determine price. This may suggest that when a product is in high demand, consumers might expect increased production and expect prices to remain predictable.

We discovered in our research that many consumers may have misunderstandings about dynamic pricing.
Dynamic pricing can best be described as pricing that responds to changes in supply, demand, competitor
actions, and customer behavior, ensuring prices remain competitive and aligned with the market. In our
findings, 38% of respondents viewed higher prices during times of high demand and low supply as an
impact of dynamic pricing. Since a significant number of consumers surveyed felt that dynamic pricing only
leads to higher prices, it’s clear why they associate it with negative outcomes for them.

Lessons for Retailers

While sentiment around price hikes is generally negative, grocery stores can take steps to better inform
customers and alleviate some of the financial strain. The one consumers appreciate the most is increasing
transparency, which ultimately helps increase customer satisfaction and build trust.
The results revealed that 29% of consumers want more information about the pricing of goods and/or how
it is achieved. Transparency around price changes is crucial for consumers regarding dynamic pricing should
stores decide to implement this strategy. When there is a lack of transparency around price increases, 32%
of respondents responsible for grocery shopping said that was the top reason they might hesitate to shop
at a grocery store that uses dynamic pricing. Grocery stores could help ease concerns around dynamic
pricing by proactively informing shoppers when prices are higher due to high demand, low inventory, or
inflation. Providing clear explanations for price fluctuations could enhance consumer trust and further
strengthen loyalty, especially among shoppers who might otherwise consider switching brands due to rising
prices.

The Importance of Pricing Transparency

For suppliers, the results of this survey help answer the question of how customers feel about pricing in
light of the current market conditions. Food industry suppliers can take away an important lesson:
prioritizing pricing transparency is essential for building stronger connections with customers.
For example, if a typical grocery item like bread or eggs experiences a sudden price increase, suppliers need
to focus on clear communication as to why. Explaining the reasons behind the change can help ease
consumers’ concerns, especially as many are already feeling financial pressure.

These turbulent times are reshaping market dynamics, requiring companies to rethink and transform their
pricing processes. Unfortunately, for many businesses, pricing is often ignored, underfunded, or
underscoped. Companies need to manage their entire pricing lifecycle to ensure they are delivering the right
product at the right price to their customers.

References:
Nassauer, S., & Haddon, H. (2024, October 11). After Years of Increases, Companies Are Rolling
Back Prices. WSJ; The Wall Street Journal.

Zilliant. (2024, November 20). 2024 Consumer Price Index. Zilliant.com

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Building a Safer and More Sustainable Food Environment: Key Practices for Food Safety and Restaurant Professionals

By Ainsley Lawrence
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As consumers become more health-conscious and environmentally aware, restaurants and food producers must adapt quickly to meet these evolving expectations. That means that restaurants need to work hard to reduce contamination, control pesticide use in high-risk foods, implement rigorous surface sanitation protocols, and adopt sustainable practices to create safer, more responsible dining experiences.

Explore key areas for maintaining safe and eco-conscious food environments while learning actionable tips to add to your daily routine as a food safety or restaurant professional. You can create safer, greener practices to benefit your customers and the environment by addressing these areas.

Identifying and Managing Pesticide Risks in High-Exposure Foods

Certain foods are more susceptible to exposure to herbicides and pesticides1 due to their growth patterns and susceptibility to pests. Fruits and vegetables like strawberries, spinach, apples, and peppers often rank high on lists of produce with significant pesticide residues. These foods have thin skins or are consumed whole, making it easier for pesticides to remain on the surface or penetrate the edible parts. Leafy greens and berries also frequently carry higher levels of pesticides due to their delicate structures, which are difficult to clean thoroughly.

To manage these risks effectively, implement rigorous contamination control measures:

  1. Washing: Wash produce with cold water to remove surface residues. A scrub brush for sturdier produce like apples or cucumbers can help dislodge stubborn residues. For softer items like berries, rinsing under running water is often effective. Additionally, consider using a vegetable wash specifically designed to remove pesticides and wax coatings. These washes are typically made with natural ingredients and can be applied directly to the surface of produce before rinsing, providing an extra layer of cleaning for high-risk items.
  2. Peeling: Removing the outer layers of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots, or cucumbers, can eliminate a significant amount of pesticide exposure, though it may also reduce some nutritional content. Doing this also doesn’t guarantee the removal of all pesticide exposure.2
  3. Soaking: Submerging produce in a water-vinegar solution (one part vinegar to four parts water) can help reduce pesticide residues more effectively than water alone. Salt water solutions can also effectively reduce the amount of pesticides on produce.3
  4. Opting for organic: When possible, prioritize organic versions of high-risk foods. Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides, reducing exposure to harmful residues. While organic options may come at a higher cost, they are particularly worth considering for items like berries, leafy greens, and other foods frequently consumed raw, where pesticide residues are harder to eliminate.

Food safety professionals should stay informed on updated pesticide regulations. Monitor updates from regulatory bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These organizations regularly update tolerances for pesticide residues in food, and new standards or restrictions can significantly impact purchasing and preparation practices.

Ensuring Hygiene with Food-Contact Surface Wipes

Maintaining hygiene and keeping your food-contact surfaces clean helps prevent cross-contamination. Bacteria, viruses, and allergens can linger on cutting boards, countertops, and utensils, creating a risk of contamination if not properly sanitized. Regular cleaning and disinfection of these surfaces protect both consumers and food service operations from potential health hazards.

Food-contact surface wipes4 are an effective and convenient solution to maintain hygiene across food preparation areas. These wipes are designed to safely sanitize surfaces without leaving harmful residues, meeting food industry standards for safety and efficacy. Their pre-saturated formula eliminates the need for mixing cleaning solutions, ensuring consistent application and reducing the risk of improper dilution. They are also quick-drying, making them ideal for high-traffic kitchens where time and efficiency are critical. Incorporate these wipes into daily cleaning schedules and routines to remind professionals to sanitize food-contact surfaces before and after food preparation to maintain consistent hygiene.

To optimize the use of food-contact-safe wipes, begin by removing visible debris or food particles from surfaces before sanitizing to ensure the wipes’ cleaning agents work effectively. Pay special attention to high-touch areas such as cutting boards, prep tables, handles, and storage containers, as these are hotspots for cross-contamination. Always adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding contact time to allow the sanitizing agents to fully eliminate bacteria and viruses.

Incorporating Sustainable Practices in Food Service

Sustainable practices in restaurants play a pivotal role in reducing waste and conserving resources, making the food industry more environmentally responsible. Fortunately, sustainable practices are becoming more widespread in restaurants, with 47% of restaurants tracking food waste and 22% donating leftover food.5

By adopting eco-friendly strategies, restaurants and food service businesses can minimize their environmental impact while meeting consumer demand for greener dining options. These efforts benefit the planet, improve operational efficiency, and appeal to eco-conscious customers.

To reduce waste, restaurants can implement strategies such as composting food scraps, donating surplus food to local charities, and improving inventory management to avoid spoilage. Encouraging the use of reusable or biodegradable packaging materials further minimizes waste, addressing one of the largest contributors to landfill pollution in the food industry. Implementing portion control and offering flexible menu options can reduce food waste by aligning servings more closely with customer demand.

Energy-efficient operations are another key component of sustainability. Investing in energy-saving appliances, such as Energy Star-certified refrigerators and ovens, can significantly reduce utility bills while lowering the carbon footprint. Simple measures like switching to LED lighting, maintaining HVAC systems regularly, and using programmable thermostats can also make operations more energy-efficient.

Water conservation is equally important. Consider installing low-flow faucets, recycling gray water where permitted, and training staff on efficient water usage to help reduce consumption.

Also, staff should be educated on sustainable practices so that they can consistently apply these efforts. Hosting regular training sessions and establishing clear sustainability goals encourage employees to embrace eco-friendly habits.

Implementing these practices enhances environmental responsibility and caters to the growing demand for sustainable practices in restaurants. Diners are increasingly seeking establishments that prioritize sustainability, and adopting these initiatives can improve brand loyalty and market competitiveness. Diners may even be willing to pay more to eat at a restaurant focusing on sustainability.6

Conclusion

Food safety is more of a commitment for modern restaurants than a checklist. Tackling pesticide exposure, keeping food surfaces spotless, and embracing sustainability are more than best practices; they’re how responsible businesses protect public health and the planet. By carefully managing pesticide use and focusing on high-risk foods, restaurants can dramatically reduce contamination risks.

Also, keep in mind that sustainability isn’t a buzzword. Restaurants that reduce waste, conserve energy, and make environmentally conscious choices save resources and respond to a growing consumer demand for responsible dining. When food service professionals invest in safety and sustainability, they build trust, demonstrate integrity, and show that great food can also mean great responsibility.

The future of dining is clean, safe, and green. And it starts with the choices we make today.

Woman shopping

5 Thirst-Quenching Benefits of Adding Smart Packaging to Beverages

By Emily Newton
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Woman shopping

Smart beverage packaging can create innovative customer experiences, reduce waste, improve safety and more. Today’s packaging technologies can transform how customers and retailers interact with beverage products. What benefits can manufacturers gain from integrating smart packaging into their products?

1. Improved Customer Convenience

Smart beverage packaging can drastically improve customer convenience. Simple text labels are the typical information available to customers on a beverage bottle. They are mainly looking at the expiration date and the ingredients, but more information could be available. Smart packaging can offer more details and indicate the qualities of a beverage more efficiently.

For example, intelligent freshness sensors can go inside or outside the beverage container. Chemical sensors can automatically respond to changes in the beverage’s condition, such as chemical indicators that the beverage is expired. When the sensor detects those indicators, it changes color.

So, regardless of the estimated expiration date, a customer can quickly see when a beverage goes bad. A color-coded responsive chemical sensor on the beverage packaging is also easier to understand for those with vision difficulties or children who have not learned to read yet.

2. Less Beverage Waste

The USDA estimates that 30 to 40% of America’s food supply goes to waste annually, creating billions of dollars of lost revenue. This deprives thousands of people of food and beverages that could have fed families in need. Preventing food waste is a complex problem for food and beverage manufacturers since waste often happens in grocery stores.

Smart packaging could help reduce food waste by making it easier for retail employees to identify beverages nearing expiration dates. Additionally, some types of smart packaging devices could improve logistics for retailers so cases of older drinks aren’t lost or misplaced before they expire.

For example, beverage manufacturers can ship their units in cases with smart RFID or QR tags that retailers can easily track. The tags could be scanned or entered in an inventory management database where retail employees could view expiration date notifications and inventory items from oldest to newest.

Similarly, smart packaging features like color-coded chemical freshness indicators could be helpful for employees as well as customers. Colors are much easier to identify at a glance than numerical expiration dates. As a result, it is more likely that employees would notice a unit that is older than others and know to get it on shelves while it is still fresh.

3. Safety Verification and Recalls

Traditional product recalls use purchase dates or batch numbers to identify at-risk units. Sometimes all recently-purchased units need to be recalled. Customers may even guess whether a unit is risky based on the expiration date. These methods require careful inspection of the text on the packaging or the receipt, which many customers don’t keep.

Smart packaging technologies like QR codes or chemical sensors can relieve some confusion surrounding individual unit safety. Efficient, accessible and effective packaging technologies for verifying unit safety can allow beverage manufacturers to pursue a broader range of products safely.

For example, recycling water can help reduce water waste and minimize strain on natural water sources, particularly in areas with scarce clean water sources. In fact, the average American household wastes 95% of the 400 gallons of water they consume each day. With the right filtering and cleaning processes, manufacturers could recycle this water.

Beverage manufacturers could safely use recycled water by integrating smart sensors into their packaging. This precautionary design element would allow customers to quickly verify that their recycled water product is safe to drink. A growing number of customers are prioritizing sustainability today as long as they can do so safely. This type of design feature could open new doors in the sustainable beverage market.

If a product needs recall, customers and retailers can scan a QR code on each unit’s packaging to see if it is part of the affected batch.

4. Easy Tracking of Beverage Shipments

Logistics is becoming increasingly complicated today as businesses face high competition, rising freight costs and a need for more truck drivers. So, it’s more important than ever to have effective ways to track beverage shipments. Smart packaging can increase logistics visibility and reduce the risk of lost or damaged goods.

RFID asset tracking allows businesses to use RFID tags to monitor objects remotely. Beverage manufacturers could integrate these tags into shipping crates or cases. The tags help logistics personnel organize their freight while allowing the manufacturer to have GPS tracking on their shipment.

Additionally, climate monitoring tags can quickly reveal if goods were damaged during transit. Smart sensor tags are available today that respond chemically to environmental changes, such as temperature or moisture. So, if the conditions inside a crate of beverages shift outside of a safe threshold, the sensor will show the change.

5. Innovative Consumer Experiences

Smart packaging can create fresh, unique interactive experiences with customers that build engagement and foster brand loyalty. There are a growing variety of technologies for doing this, such as QR codes and NFC tags. Both utilize customers’ smartphones to generate individualized experiences for them.

For example, a beverage company could put a QR code on their bottles that links to a video showing customers how to make a smoothie with their beverage. Businesses can also use QR codes for gamification, such as rewarding points toward coupons or a raffle. All of these engagement opportunities can build connections between customers and brands.

Beverage companies can even use QR codes and NFC to increase environmental transparency. Sustainable packaging is a big deal to many customers today. Surveys show almost 70% of consumers would pay more for sustainable packaging options.

Beverage companies can create digital interactive maps of their products’ supply chain to illustrate sustainability efforts. A QR code or NFC tag on the packaging can connect customers with this interactive digital experience. Creating such an experience to explain the environmental impact of a product can be a great way to foster loyalty with sustainability-minded customers.

The Future of Beverage Packaging

Smart packaging can be revolutionary for beverage manufacturers. Packaging technologies like QR codes, RFID, smart sensors and more can create a better customer experience and simplify operations for retailers and logistics. Integrating smart packaging can lead to safer products, less waste and heightened customer engagement.

Allergens

How Can US Food Businesses Navigate Labeling Regulations While Ensuring Compliance?

By Fred Whipp
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Allergens

With nearly 1 in 4 US citizens reporting a food allergy, the importance of mitigating against cross-contamination in-store and throughout the whole supply chain is becoming increasingly recognized. As reports of allergy tragedies related to food negligence continue to spiral, it begs the question as to whether the food industry is truly and wholly compliant with regulations, such as the FASTER Act.

The Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research Act or FASTER Act marks the first time that food allergen labeling has been expanded since the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA). Launched on January 1st, 2023, in the US, the FASTER Act identified sesame as the ninth major food allergen, requiring manufacturers to list and specify the allergen’s presence in packaged foods.

Despite more rigorous regulations being put in place, cases relating to the misleading labeling of food products remain an issue. Earlier this year, the FDA issued a warning to Bimbo Bakery for falsely listing allergens, including sesame, on its food labels in the US. The warning comes amid reports of manufacturers adding allergens to product labels and recipes to rule out the risk of cross-contamination and cleaning procedures required by new labeling laws.

What is the FASTER Act?

The FASTER Act is both a recognition and validation of the seriousness of sesame allergies and sensitivities, promoting R&D for more effective diagnosis and prevention. The Act requires all restaurants and catering companies to ensure all food produced and packed for sale in the same premises has a complete ingredient list identifying all ingredients on the product label, including sesame, the ninth major allergen. It also requires that food manufacturers using sesame in their products ensure procedures are in place, such as thoroughly cleaning equipment across production lines, to avoid cross-contamination.

However, as we have seen, despite more stringent regulations being put in place, there have been numerous cases of manufacturers responding to new labeling laws by intentionally adding sesame as a listed allergen on previously allergen-free products to avoid the rigorous cleaning processes needed to avoid any points of cross-contamination. This practice has been criticized by various organizations, including most notably the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which filed a regulatory petition to the FDA in 2023, urging the FDA to address manufacturers intentionally or unnecessarily adding sesame to their formulations or product labels.

Despite the introduction of the Act, reports of negligence are still occurring, exposing a somewhat backward approach to the future of food safety. Not only does this actively risk undermining customer trust, but it also further limits food choices for individuals with allergies.

Keeping compliance central

To remain compliant, food providers and catering companies must establish robust channels of communication with their suppliers to remain informed of any changes to formulations or manufacturing and production processes. Alongside this, staff training in allergens is essential, making employees aware of changes to in-house menus, recipes or stock to provide a comprehensive allergen list to customers upon request.

Manually checking ingredients across every PPDS (prepacked for direct sale) item is not always practical in large facilities, especially when multiple players in the supply chain are involved. One of the most effective ways to maintain accurate ingredient and allergen details is with the help of specialist software that automates updates to nutritional and allergen information across various systems and sites, saving valuable time while ensuring labelling remains accurate by leveraging real-time updates and data.

The future of process management platforms

Food businesses must consider using process management platforms in 2024 to not only ensure but also document that staff follow protocol stringently. This could involve assigning employees digital checklists or logbooks to complete to make certain they have understood new formulations or changes to an existing one. By automating these processes, the highest levels of compliance will be met, both assuring head offices of proper in-house operations and providing records of this in case of inspection.

By integrating IoT technology embedded in process management platforms leveraging sensors, RFID tags and smart thermostats, food businesses can ensure the real-time monitoring of food storage conditions like temperature, humidity and expiration dates, as well as improved supply chain visibility and end-to-end traceability. Examples include cold storage facilities, delivery trucks and even stockrooms equipped with IoT sensors that systematically check, log and alert staff to changes in temperatures or changes to products in the stockroom. When employees are made aware of the storage location of food products and their various allergen content within the stockroom, cross-contamination is more easily avoided, allowing for the easier identification and separation of food products and taking extra precautions to ensure packaging is kept intact when handling.

Improved supply chain traceability

Integrating advanced technologies throughout the supply chain further safeguards against food contamination and promotes confidence, compliance and thus protection from food to farm. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags document the complete journey from origin to destination by transmitting location and sourcing data to companies, updating them on the exact whereabouts of each product throughout its journey to them. This way, any issues relating to product recall or batch contamination can be traced back through the chain, identifying locations of potential food safety breaches, such as a facility also handling other allergen products.

Installing IoT cameras in manufacturing facilities further enforces quality control by inspecting food products, flagging lapses in improper packaging or the presence of allergens in the facility, automating much of the processes behind compliance with food safety practices. Although the upfront cost of implementing such technologies is expensive, businesses will, in time, reap the benefits of reduced labour costs and improved operational consistency, bolstering their supplier-to-customer relations.

Supply chain traceability is equally important when considering downstream supply chain operations, such as in-country transportation. IoT sensors fitted in refrigerated packaging or vehicles track shipment and courier conditions in real-time, automatically alerting drivers to allergen products on board or changes in temperatures. If the reason for improper storage conditions proves challenging to rectify, drivers will be redirected to nearby facilities where food products can be temporarily stored when equipment malfunctions to ensure the longevity, hygiene and quality of perishable goods.

Time saving without cutting corners

The FASTER Act recognizes and highlights the importance of strict quality control, regulating the accurate labeling of products and mitigating cross-contamination in manufacturing and production facilities. With the right technology and systems in place, equipping businesses with the necessary tools, such as mpro5, the task at hand becomes significantly more manageable.

Process management platforms that automate lengthy manual tasks provide time-saving benefits and further reduce the likelihood of businesses cutting corners when allergen labeling by enforcing compliance. By integrating technologies to create an IoT infrastructure from food to farm, all stakeholders will benefit from the assurance that their products are safe for consumption, whatever the dietary or allergen requirement.

By improving traceability, providing real-time data and ensuring correct storage, waste is reduced, and customer safety is rightfully centered at the heart of all operations. In doing so, food businesses can maintain compliance with safety standards and identify and address potential food safety risks within the wider supply chain whilst cultivating customer confidence and trust once the products are in-store.

Listeria

Adapting Food Safety Testing to meet Modern Demands

By Jani Holopainen
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Listeria

Confidence in food safety has hit an all-time low in the U.S., according to a recent Gallup poll[i]. Food recalls have dominated the news recently, ranging from harmful pathogens and allergy risks to non-food materials contaminating the food supply. There is a more general awareness of how our food impacts our overall physical and mental health and rising concerns over what ingredients may have the most significant effects. Now more than ever, food safety testing needs to evolve to meet current expectations—in our testing capabilities and thinking—to instill confidence in food safety testing again.

Why food safety testing needs to evolve

Like any industry, food safety trends and demands change over time, and the industry needs to evolve along with them. To keep pace with consistent threats, the industry must adapt to address emerging pathogens that pose risks to food safety. These pathogens have the potential to mutate to favorable conditions, much like any other pathogen. This means new strains of bacteria, like E. coli or Listeria, can sometimes affect the food supply but pass established food safety tests. As an industry, we must be able to quickly identify when there is a new strain of a pathogen and adapt testing methods to detect that new strain. Another way the industry needs to evolve is by keeping up with the increasing globalization of our food supply. Across industries, our world is becoming more reliant on a global supply chain. For food, this means that throughout the process of getting a specific food product to a consumer, there are several points where contamination can occur. Food safety testing needs to be able to account for these additional contamination opportunities.

Food safety testing for perishable products also presents a specific set of challenges. Testing for perishable food needs to be completed quickly due to the limited time frame in which it can be kept fresh and ready for sale in stores. Occasionally, delays in getting test results back on food samples could lead to perishable products being released before testing has been confirmed, running the risk of pathogens getting into the food supply. Food producers, particularly in produce, also need to be more vigilant against the food safety risks that come with fruits and vegetables, given they are often eaten raw. Irrigation water can contaminate produce if drawn from a source close to where livestock is being raised, and some wild animals can also contaminate the irrigation water. For other food producers, it is vital to remember that when antibiotics are used as a preventive measure in livestock, they eventually create bacterial strains resistant to a broad range of antibiotics, posing substantial human health risks.

In addition to being able to detect pathogens and biological contamination, the food safety industry also needs to be focused on combating food fraud and bad actors who intentionally adulterate food. Food fraud can happen when someone purposely leaves out, takes out, or replaces a valuable ingredient. It can also occur when someone adds something to food. For example, companies looking to save costs could mix in a cheaper substance or mislabel a food product, which could have harmful effects on consumers. Ensuring food safety relies on detecting any adulteration promptly to maintain quality standards and protect consumer health.

How we can evolve our food safety testing capabilities

While there are still critical issues that need to be addressed, we are seeing a massive shift in the technology used in food safety testing to respond to the evolving challenges. For example, qPCR-based technologies have evolved significantly and become the gold standard in food pathogen testing over the past 10 years. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has also recently made its way into food safety and food authenticity testing. Because of its discriminatory power, NGS is a powerful tool, especially in food authenticity testing. It can also be used for microorganism strain typing, whole genome sequencing and metagenomics, all of which can help us learn more about the production environment and food we’re consuming.

Automation is also becoming more common in food safety testing. It can remove human error from the equation, improve repeatability and increase sample throughput, making it a lucrative option for mid- and large-size food safety laboratories. In the future, we can expect to see more artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) implemented into food safety workflows. AI may be able to help food safety specialists by quickly interpreting test results or identifying possible issues with tests and providing guidelines for how to correct anything that may be wrong. We may also see a world where AI can help fill knowledge gaps. It has the potential to help less experienced specialists be confident in operating the food safety workflows and in the accuracy of their results. Finally, testing on the production line, instead of sending it to internal or external labs, may become available. This “on-line” testing would shorten the time to results and mean production lines can more quickly adjust their operations if there is an issue.

How we can evolve our thinking around food safety

As we improve the technology implemented to help keep food safe, we must also ensure the food safety testing method fits the purpose. Not all tests are suitable for all processes or samples, and not all tests are identical. For example, food safety test suppliers often have certain external certifications on their workflows, like ISO 16140, AOAC PTM or AOAC OMA, and product claims to provide evidence of their methods’ performance and reliability. However, food producers should not solely rely on these certificates but verify the product claims internally to ensure the selected method performs accordingly in their own setting and, more importantly, with their samples. A sample matrix may vary by its background flora depending on the geographical region the sample originates from, which could substantially impact the target pathogen detection.

Consumers and customers are already more aware of when things go wrong, with recalls being a news focus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other governmental organizations are very public about food recalls, and they should be. This means, however, that food safety in consumers’ minds can have negative connotations. One way food producers could address valid concerns from consumers is by becoming more visible about their food safety procedures and the efforts they undertake to improve the safety of their food.

While recalls and issues with quality control are never 100% avoidable, we can, as an industry, keep learning, continuously assess and improve testing procedures and methods, and share the best practices to ensure our food is as safe as possible. This learning must be done in real-time and at a fast pace. We can’t anticipate every new pathogen that will impact our food, but adapting quickly and effectively can help us safeguard our food supply and ensure customers’ confidence in the food they’re consuming.

[i] https://news.gallup.com/poll/650024/trust-government-assurance-food-safety-hits-record-low.aspx

Blockchain

Future Of Food Safety: Next-Gen Technologies On The Rise

By Steve Orth
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Blockchain

Food safety is one of the biggest health concerns worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that about one in 10 people contract an illness from contaminated food, with more than 400,000 dying each year as a result. Food contamination leads to illness, death, lost productivity, and wasted money.

Fortunately, technology to improve food safety continues to advance. The shift moves toward automation and system monitoring to improve accuracy and decrease the time that workers must attend to routine tasks. With the use of these developing technologies, commercial and industrial organizations can help to prevent foodborne illness and provide greater transparency to the consumer.

Smart Devices

The Internet of Things (IoT) provides several opportunities to improve food safety in commercial and industrial spaces. The premise behind IoT is that each device or appliance can connect to a larger hub, providing information about the contents or function of the equipment in real-time. These tools can improve food safety by performing safety checks, recording data like food temperatures, and allowing centralized monitoring of the entire system. In kitchens, restaurants and food processing plants with fewer employees, the ability to get information at a touch can simplify routine tasks and improve accuracy.

Sensors

Advanced sensor technology improves old technology by centralizing data collection and providing real-time updates. Sensors work by assessing factors like temperature or humidity within a controlled space. Older systems required workers to visually inspect the temperatures and adjust as needed. The latest models provide integrated data with the capacity to send immediate alerts when the conditions fall below safe levels. The technology minimizes food waste by prompting quick action, while giving operators the ability to confirm that the food always remains at safe levels.

3D Printing

Testing materials can be expensive, proprietary, and difficult to fit to every application, which highlights the benefits of 3D printing. 3D printing relies on the slow accumulation of material into a specific 3D design. The broad availability of designs allows organizations to contract out 3D printing of testing tools or bring the entire production in-house. The technology is revolutionizing various industries for its ability to provide custom products at a fraction of the cost of traditional manufacturing, often for much less investment.

Automated Sanitation

Automated sanitation systems improve the speed of cleaning and decrease the risk of human error. UV light systems gained notoriety for their ability to dramatically reduce the spread of pathogens like SARS CoV-2, creating benefits for commercial and industrial applications. UV and ozone sanitation improve results over liquid disinfectants and provide better results for surfaces that need to be sterilized.

The automation of these and other sanitation systems significantly cut down on the time workers must spend cleaning up. Industrial automation solutions minimize the risk of contamination, as well as shortening equipment downtime.

Blockchain

Blockchain is best known for its use in cryptocurrency, but the premise offers potential to decrease the effects of food contamination. The United States Food and Drug Administration notes that traceability presents the biggest problem for handling outbreaks of listeria or E. coli. The United Nations Development Programme argues that blockchain’s decentralized organization allows for the accurate presentation of information that cannot be misrepresented or deleted. This technology can provide detailed tracking of a food’s journey from farm to table to reduce time and money spent determining the source of a contaminated food.

DNA Barcoding

Preventing foodborne illness and the spread of pathogens involves greater effort to inspect during every step of the food’s journey. DNA barcoding presents interesting opportunities to quickly evaluate foods to classify their species and identify the presence of foreign bodies. The method highlights parts of the genome that identify a specific species, creating a barcode of sorts that can be used to verify the species. This level of detail in inspection can increase the accuracy of labeling, as well as providing a way to track the origin at a molecular level.

Automated Inspections

Human inspection can fail, especially for workers who may be operating in understaffed conditions. The increase in automated systems provides a viable solution. Visual systems can inspect each item for signs of damage or faulty production, immediately removing them from possible use. The latest technology can identify faults that are beyond human observation, increasing the accuracy of the equipment and minimizing the use of defective products.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize all of these systems and more. AI uses the collection and processing of data to identify trends and highlight risks within a contained environment. The system can handle automated checks, maintenance, and other tasks that were once performed by humans. AI can use data to predict failures of systems or the likelihood of contamination, so that workers can address them in advance. With access to real-time data, AI can also provide immediate alerts to changes in food preparation or storage, to minimize food loss and the growth of foodborne illness.

Handling food in any capacity requires attention to food safety to minimize illness and death among the most vulnerable populations. In the interest of increasing food safety, researchers and manufacturers are investing in technology to automate food safety tasks such as sanitation and tracking food temperatures. While some technologies represent the vanguard of the food industry, others are gaining relevance worldwide. Exploring these technologies helps food safety professionals to evaluate the best systems to protect consumers throughout the use of their commercial and industrial spaces.

Sources

World Health Organization (WHO). (2022, May 19). Food safety. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety

Brous, P., Janssen, M., & Herder, P. (2019). The dual effects of the Internet of Things (IoT): A systematic review of the benefits and risks of IoT adoption by organizations. International Journal of Information Management, 51(1), 101952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.05.008

Pangarkar, T. (2024, May 7). 3D Printing Statistics 2024 By New Technology, Filaments, Types. Market Scoop. https://scoop.market.us/3d-printing-statistics/

US EPA, O. (2021, January 14). Disinfecting Surfaces with UV Light to Reduce Exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Www.epa.gov. https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response-research/disinfecting-surfaces-uv-light-reduce-exposure-sars-cov-2

NEW ERA OF SMARTER FOOD SAFETY FDA’s Blueprint for the Future. (n.d.). https://www.fda.gov/media/139868/download

Blockchain for Agri-Food Traceability | United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.). UNDP. https://www.undp.org/publications/blockchain-agri-food-traceability

DNA Barcoding – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Www.sciencedirect.com. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/dna-barcoding