Standards, Quality, Food Safety Issues and Good Agricultural Practice

By Thomas Edmund

Food Safety/Agri-Business Consultant

Castries, 8th October, 2009

IntroductionFood Handling in the Supply ChainFood Standards and QualityFood ControlFood Safety and Hygiene in the Fresh Produce TradeGood Agricultural Practice

THEFOOD

INDUSTRY

FOODPROCESSING

FOODPACKAGING

STORAGEWAREHOUSINGDISTRIBUTION

SELLING FOOD TO THE PUBLIC

FOODPRODUCTION

LAUNDRYPEST CONTROLMAINTENANCE

Supply Chain

Food produced for trade requires that such food meets certain quality and safety requirementsOne must be able to trace back the food from the place of production – through the supply chainSupply chain- the entire set of inputs, production, distribution, marketing and final delivery of a product to consumersIs also called agro-chain, product chain, value chain, commodity chain, agri-food system, etc.

Consumption

Trade & Distribution

Processing

Agricultural production systems

Input & technology supplies

Food Supply ChainEnvironmental interactions

Social acceptance & preferences

Operational capacities & technologies

Financial, economic and legal

conditions

Supply chain management – is any form of cooperation between stakeholders in the supply chainIn agriculture, some supply chains are loose and unstable over time while others are stable and well managedUnstable: Farmers selling produce to hotelsStable: Export of bananas to the UK.

Supply chain management is important in the provision of safe food.The responsibility for the supply of safe food is shared along the entire food supply chain by all stakeholders;

Input supplyProductionHarvestingProcessingTrade

Roles and Responsibilities

Public sector- development of official standards, provision of incentives, research, extension, regulations, and enforcement, information etc.Private sector – responsibility for investment, management and cost to ensure food production, post-harvest treatment, processing, distribution based on food safety standards, etc.

Drivers for Supply Chain Management

Variations in quality and quantityIncreasing consumer attention to safety and protection of the environmentShelf life constraintsVariation in the speed/rate of production

Why should I be Part of the Value Chain?

Better positioning in the marketInternational trade demandsAbility to deliver safe and quality foodsImproved efficiency

Information flow

Goods flow

Producer RetailerWholesalerProcessor Consumer

Key Elements in Maintaining the ChainCriteria- efficiency, effectiveness, trust, opennessSafeguarding food quality and safety

Food safety systemsTraceabilityCertificationBranding

TransparencySocial accountabilityCo-operation and integrity

Components of a Supply Chain

Production and Harvesting OperationsPostharvest Unit OperationsProcessing Unit OperationsDistribution Unit OperationsEnd User Handling (Retail, Foodservice and Consumer) Unit Operations

Banana Supply Chain

1. Growing2. Packing3. Transporting and Receiving4. Loading at port5. Unloading at port6. Ripening7. Distribution

Banana Supply ChainGrower Stock Keeping Unit/FieldPacker Box/Pallet

Transport by Truck Pallet/ContainerLoading at Port Deck/SlotShip Pallet/Container

Unloading at Port Box/PalletRipener Box/PalletRetail (Distribution chain)

Need for National Food Control Systems

Increasing burden of foodborne illness and new and emerging foodborne hazards

Rapidly changing technologies in food production, processing and marketing

Greater focus on consumer protection with science-based risk assessments

Need for National Food Control Systems

International food trade and need for harmonization of food safety and quality standards

Food trade is disrupted by frequent disputes over food safety and quality requirements

Meet obligations of international trade agreements such as WTO

Need for National Food Control Systems

Changes in lifestyles, including rapid urbanization

Unprecedented consumer interest in the way food is produced, processed and marketed

Increasing consumer demand for better information of food safety and quality issues

Food Quality

Food quality is most typically associated with use characteristicsAll intrinsic attributes that influences a product’s value to the consumerMay be positive attributes associated with origin, nutritive, organoleptic(colour, flavour, texture), processing method of the food or other properties of values to usersAlso includes negative attributes such as spoilage, contamination with filth, discoloration, off-odours

Food Safety

All those hazards, whether chronic or acute, that may make food injurious to the health of the consumerThe absence of any risk of harm from foodInvolves the practical process of ensuring that food is fit to eat-assurance of safetyFood safety is the most important quality factorIs not negotiable

Food control defined“a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement by national or local authorities to provide consumer protection and ensure that all foods during production, handling, storage, processing, and distribution are safe, wholesome and fit for human consumption; conform to safety and quality requirements; and are honestly and accurately labelled as prescribed by law”.

Critical Food safety Issues

Many problems with food safety have increased public anxiety that modern farming systems, food processing and marketing do not provide adequate safeguards for public healthWhat are the food hazards of concern◦ Microbiological hazards◦ Pesticide residues◦ Misuse of food additives◦ Chemical contaminants, including biological toxins

What are the food hazards of concern

◦ Adulteration◦ Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)◦ Allergens◦ Veterinary drug residues◦ Growth promoting hormones

Consumers must be protected from food hazards along the entire food chain; the farm-to-table continuum

What is required◦ An integrated approach ◦ Control systems must address all stages in the food

chain◦ Preventive and educational strategies

Effective enforcement of legal requirementsTraining and educationCommunity outreach programmesPromotion of voluntary compliancePreventive strategies such as HACCP implementation

Global Considerations

International trade◦ International trade in fresh and processed foods will

continue to increase◦ Access to export markets will depend on capacity to

meet requirements of importing countries◦ Need to build trust and confidence of importers and

consumers in integrity of our food systems

SPS and TBT Agreements

SPS-Sanitary and PhytosanitaryTBT- Technical Barriers to Trade

◦ Came into being after the establishment of the WTO◦ Agreements are important for requirements for

food protection at the national level, and rules under which food is traded internationally

SPS Agreement

◦ Confirms the right of WTO member countries to apply measures to protect human, animal and plant life and health

◦ Covers lawsregulationsdecreestesting inspectioncertification and approval procedurespackaging labelling requirements

SPS Agreement

◦ Apply only those measures for protection based on scientific principles and only to the extent necessary◦ Not in a disguised manner to restrict international

trade◦ Use of international standards/guidelines- Codex

standards (not product standards) used as a benchmark◦ Need to harmonize national food standards with

Codex standards

TBT Agreement

◦ Requires that technical regulations on traditional quality factors, fraudulent practices, packaging, labelling etc imposed by countries will not be more restrictive on imported products than they are on products produced domestically. ◦ Also encourages use of international standards

What is a standard

“A standard is a document which sets out rules that control how people develop and manage materials, products, services, technologies, processes and systems”.

“Document, established by consensus and approved by a recognised body, that provides for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context”.

“An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; a criterion”.

What is food“Food means any substance, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption, and includes drinks, chewing gum and any substance which has been used in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of ‘food’ but does not include cosmetics or tobacco or substances used only as drugs.”

What are food standards“Food standards concern themselves with the quality, identity, composition, safety, labelling, advertising, presentation or other aspects of the food and its preparation”

Available standards◦ International◦ Regional◦ National◦ Industry◦ Company

Other forms of standards◦ Technical specification-document that prescribes

technical requirements to be fulfilled by a product, process or service(may be a standard, part of a standard or independent)

Other forms of standards

◦ Code of Practice –document that recommends practices or procedures for the design, manufacture, installation, maintenance or utilisation of equipment, structure or products

e.g. Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)

◦ Regulation-Document providing binding legislative rules, that is adopted by authority

Technical regulation-regulation that provides technical requirements, either directly or by referring to or incorporating the content of a standard, technical specification or code of practice

Types of Food standards

Standard of identity◦ Standards of identity define what a given food product is,

its name, and the ingredients that must be used, or may be used in the manufacture of the food.

◦ Food standards ensure that consumers get what they expect when they purchase certain food products.

◦ These food standards prescribe minimum amounts of certain ingredients, such as meat or poultry or milk fat; maximum fat and water contents; methods of processing, cooking and preparation; permit optional safe and suitable ingredients, and/or identify expected or characterizing ingredients.

Standards of Identity

◦ These standards ensure that the basic nature of foods is maintained to meet consumers' expectations no matter where they buy the product.

◦ Without standards of identity, different foods could be sold under the same name and different names could describe the same food.

Standards of quality

◦ Quality standards set quality minimums that must be met or exceeded

◦ Establish specifications for quality requirements

◦ Set minimum specifications for such factors as tenderness, color, and freedom from defects for canned fruits and vegetables.

◦ Such characteristics would not be readily apparent to the purchaser of these foods because of the nature of the foods and the manner in which they are presented to the consumer (inside a can).

Fill-of-container standards

◦ Define how full the container must be and how this is measured

◦ These requirements are particularly important when foods are packed in liquids and sealed in opaque containers.

Other food standards

LabellingPresentation Advertising

Why is hygiene necessary

We need!!!!!!!!!!We have to!!!!!!

Food Safety Food Quality

Is demanded by:

LawsPrescriptionsConsumersProduct LiabilityFood safety

What is all the Fuss About!!!!!!

Food poisoning and injuryComplaintsLegal action and finesBrand damage and bad pressRecalls and associated costLoss of business and lower profitsPest infestationsPoor working conditions No job security and possible closure of the business

Cause of Food Borne Illness

Preparation too far in advance (raw food)Not storing at the correct temperature (raw food)Cooling too slowlyUsing contaminated raw products (raw food)Under processingCross contamination (raw food)Infected food handlers (raw food)Using incorrect products and mislabelling (raw food)

Factors influencing food hygiene

Raw material

Final product

air

condensate

What does hygiene mean

◦ Bad food quality!!!!!!!!!

• Incorrect cleaning procedures

• Incorrect production process

• Incorrect “cool chain”

What does hygiene mean

Hygiene deals with preserving healthA hygienic operation presents no risk of illness from the operation carried on thereinFood hygiene is much more than cleanliness; it involves

“all measures necessary to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of food during production, preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storage, distribution, handling and offering for sale or supply to the consumer

What does hygiene mean

Protecting food from risk of contamination; cleaning, disinfection, personal hygiene, trainingPreventing any organisms from multiply to pose a risk to consumers or allow premature spoilage of foodDestroying any harmful bacteria in the food through thorough cooking, processing and other meansRemoving contaminated food

Your part in food safety

Protecting food from things which could lead to contaminationGood personal hygiene and habitsReporting illnessFollowing company (or farm) food safety proceduresReporting problems

Biological hazards ◦ Microorganisms

Bacteriamoulds and yeastsvirusesprotozoa

◦ Parasites◦ pests

Chemical hazards◦ naturally occurring ◦ intentionally added◦ unintentionally added

Food Hazards

Physical Hazards ◦ Foreign materials◦ Bones

Allergens◦ Peanuts◦ Tree nuts◦ Milk ◦ Egg ◦ Fish◦ Shell fish

Food Hazards

P e s ts

P re m is e s

F o o d h a n d l e rs

W a st e

R a w F o o d

How contamination occurs

Micro-organisms in Food1/1000 mm

1/100 mm

Micro-organisms in food◦ Useful: Fermentation: Lactic acid bacteria, yeast

◦ Spoilage (quality/shelf life)Bacteria, yeast, moulds

◦ Pathogenic (safety/hazards)BacteriaVirusesParasitesToxins (poisons)

Micro-organisms in FoodWhen food is spoiled, the characteristics of the food are changed in such a way that it is no longer acceptable for consumption (not necessarily dangerous)

Micro-organisms in Food

One cannot tell the difference between food contaminated by pathogenic bacteria and safe food

Micro-organisms in FoodBacteria are living organisms In ideal conditions they will grow and multiply◦ Food◦ Temperature (warmth)◦ Time◦ Moisture (water)◦ Oxygen◦ Non-acid environment/foodBacteria multiply by splitting into two – binary fission

0 mins

10 mins

20 mins

30 mins

40 mins

50 mins60 mins

Bacteria multiply every 10 minutes in ideal conditions

Growth of pathogenic bacteria on food is a serious hazardPathogenic bacteria contaminate the food and cause disease

1 hour 642 hours 4,0963 hours 262,1444 hours 16,772,2165 hours 1,073,741,824

What are GAPs

GAPs are sanitary procedures used during crop production, harvesting, packing and distribution to prevent or minimize produce contamination with pathogens

What are the enemies?

◦ Plant pathogens◦ Human and animal pathogens

GAPs guidelines and areas of concern

◦ Water quality◦ Fertilizer use◦ Worker health and hygiene◦ Field and facility sanitation◦ Transportation/distribution issues◦ Traceback and recall

Fertilizer use

◦ Chemical contamination◦ Environmental pollution◦ Use of organic manure/Introduction of pathogens◦ Worker health and safety

Worker health and hygiene

◦ Personal hygiene◦ Hand washing◦ Worker illness◦ Sanitary facilities for workers

Field and facility sanitation

Clean equipment and containers/packagingField sanitationPackhouse sanitationWaste managementPest control

Water quality

◦ Potable water versus raw waterIrrigationWashingIcingCoolingWater for staff facilities/use

What can growers and packers do?

◦ Learn about the risks◦ Find about the enemies◦ Develop a food safety plan◦ Keep records

Transportation/distribution issues

Sanitary vehicles and containersCold chainHandlingTime Operational proceduresCustomer issues

Traceback and recall

◦ The need for traceback and recall◦ Procedures◦ Product identification◦ Identification of possible route of contamination◦ Records and “due diligence”

On-Farm Food Safety Plan

◦ Designate Farm sanitarian-develop, implement, monitor, record

◦ Identify GAPs/GMPs specific to agricultural environment◦ Prepare SOPs for production, harvesting and field

packing activities◦ Develop master sanitation schedule◦ Keep field, facility and equipment sanitation records on

file◦ Document sanitation system is working◦ Continuous training of staff

Remember food quality and safety are not one and the same

While Food Quality is an Option Food Safety is an Entitlement

Thank You!