The impact of food regulation on the food supply chain

A review of supply chain quality management practices in sustainable food networks

Supply chain quality management practices are necessary to improve processes, meet consumer quality needs, and enhance supply chain quality management performance in sustainable food networks. Food supply chain quality management and associated practices are considerably studied in global food systems, less so for alternative food networks. There are salient differences between global food systems and alternative food networks, which may reflect on the applicable supply chain quality management practices in the food systems and networks. This paper reviews the literature on supply chain quality management practices, with a focus on alternative food networks. A systematic literature review methodology is adopted, resulting in the analysis of seventy-eight papers, identifying a total of one hundred and three supply chain quality management practices. The identified supply chain quality management practices were analysed in relation to their link to a) place, production, and producer and b) link to (bio)processes. Emerging themes from the analysis are discussed, and some areas of future research were put forward.

THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP IN EMERGING DISEASE RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE WILDLIFE TRADE

The wildlife trade has been characterized as one of the biggest risk factors in the emergence of new infectious diseases. In the shadow of COVID-19, there is growing political and scientific urgency to manage this risk. Existing studies and experiences make it clear that something must be done but are less clear on how to get it done. It is a quite different task to accumulate evidence on the presence of pathogens, their locations in the supply chain, and their spillover to new hosts than to identify effective ways to prevent and mitigate emerging disease under real-world conditions. This study sought peer-reviewed evidence on the effectiveness, acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability of risk reduction interventions for zoonotic and nonzoonotic disease emergence in the wildlife trade. An environmental scan triangulated information from a scoping review following a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for scoping review protocol, two narrative literature reviews, and key informant interviews of 26 international wildlife health experts. Existing literature has been inattentive to program implementation or evaluation studies. There was insufficient evidence to identify effective and sustainable risk management actions. Studies on the effects of social, epidemiologic, and ecologic context on intervention success was lacking, as was research using a complex systems perspective. The lack of systematic program evaluations or implementation studies leaves decision makers with insufficient evidence to select interventions likely to be acceptable, effective, and sustainable within and across the disparate context of the wildlife trade. This necessitates adaptive risk management and innovations in program implementation and evaluation to ensure evidence-based risk management.

Dual-Path Effect of Mortality Salience Induced by COVID-19 on Food Safety Behavior in China

During the pandemic, the mortality salience of COVID-19 has affected everyone. The public is extremely sensitive to food safety, especially cold chain food and imported food. This research is based on the terror management theory, protective motivation theory, and self-construal theory. It proposes an integrated dual-path framework to explore the different mechanisms that mortality salience has on food safety behavior. The result of three experiments verified our conjectures. First, mortality salience positively affects individuals' food safety behavior. More importantly, we found the dual-path mechanism that underlies the effect, that is, the mediating of self-protective motivation and prosocial motivation. In addition, different self-construals make the confirmed effect clear. These findings provide implications for the government to protect public food safety and health.

Food services in times of uncertainty: Remodeling operations, changing trends, and looking into perspectives after the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Social distancing and the economic downturn imposed by COVID-19 have significantly affected the food service segment. Therefore, operation recovery and adapting to a new reality must be achieved as quickly and efficiently as possible. Studies on this topic, which have been conceptualized in various parts of the world, have brought new ideas to light to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on food service.

Scope and approach

This study aimed to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on food service operations, changes in pre-existing trends, and post-pandemic perspectives.

Key findings and conclusions

COVID-19 has changed all business segments. When dining rooms were forced to close, many food services had to resort to innovation to survive, and many added deliveries and/or adopted the dark kitchen models in one of their many forms. It is expected that the demand for delivery, dark kitchens, and the adoption of technological solutions, for example, contactless payment, will remain in the post-pandemic scenario. Food quality control measures have become more strictly enforced, not only to prevent SARS-CoV-2 contamination but also to increase credibility with the customer. These long-established food safety practices have returned to the spotlight, been revised, and should be maintained for well into the post-pandemic period. Restaurants are operating again and restrictions on opening hours and capacity have been relaxed or eliminated. Continued studies on this topic are important for supporting creative and scientifically based solutions for socio-economic recovery.

Assessing the Performance of Food Safety Management System Using Food Safety Management System Diagnostic Tools and Microbial Assessment Scheme: A Case of Powdered Beverage Manufacturers

Background

The objective of the study is to assess the performance of the Food Safety Management System (FSMS) among powdered beverage manufacturers using Food Safety Management System Diagnostic Tools (FSMS-DI) and Microbial Assessment Scheme (MAS).

Methods

FSMS-DI was used to evaluate the context factors, core control and core assurance activities of five powdered beverage manufacturers with different types of FSMS certification. Manufacturer A is not certified with any FSMS, while manufacturers B, C, D and E are complied with MeSTI, GMP, HACCP and ISO 22000, respectively. For MAS, samples were collected from the selected critical sampling locations of two manufacturers who complied FSMS with the least (manufacturer B) and the most stringent (manufacturer E) requirements. The samples consisted of two different types of powdered beverage products were analysed for total plate count (TPC), Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast and mould count (YMC). Results: The food safety (FS) output of powdered beverages for manufacturer E was better (overall score of 3) than manufacturer B (overall score of 2-3). Manufacturer E was able to achieve their FS objectives. The FSMS activities of manufacturer C, D and E were better (overall score of 2-3) than manufacturer A and B (overall score of 1-2).

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that FSMS-DI and MAS can be used to differentiate the FSMS performance of powdered beverage manufacturers with different types of FSMS certification. Higher scores of FSMS activities obtained by the manufacturer who complied with stringent FSMS certifications contributed to better microbiological safety performance of powdered beverages.

Refinement of dietary exposure assessment using origin-related scenarios

Global sourcing of food may lead to variability in concentrations of contaminants or pesticide residues. It would be important to incorporate origin influences in dietary exposure assessment. To characterise uncertainties, substance concentrations from GFM (German Food Monitoring), chosen based on the highest CV (coefficient of variation), and food consumption from NVS II (German National Nutrition Survey II) were combined in standard scenarios. Averages or higher percentiles of non-grouped concentrations were used. Additional origin-related scenarios used concentrations grouped by origin. For bromide in tomatoes the most conservative origin-related scenario for Italian tomatoes resulted in the highest exposure of 0.015 mg/d/kg BW. The impact of origin was not covered by the conservative standard scenario (0.006 mg/d/kg BW). For ethephon in pineapples and aluminium in kiwifruits, the highest intake estimates were obtained with the conservative standard scenario resulting in 0.895 μg/d/kg BW and 0.023 mg/week/kg BW, respectively. In these two cases, standard scenarios cover origin influences but the conservative origin-related scenario based on origins with higher concentrations identifies lower exposures of 0.835 μg/d/kg BW for ethephon from African pineapples and 0.014 mg/week/kg BW for aluminium from non-EU kiwifruits. Hence, the inclusion of origin information can refine exposure assessment.

Food safety in global supply chains: A literature review

This paper aimed to revisit the literature on food safety in global supply chains and analyze the evolution and contemporary challenges in this research field. It conducted a systematic literature review in two steps based on a selection of 178 articles. It analyzed safety in food supply chains using the Six T's Framework to evaluate food safety management. In the supply chain literature, traceability was the most studied element of the original framework. The research identified studies that have incorporated the topics of "tactics" and "targets" in their analysis of safety in supply chains. This article presented an expanded framework, a tool for categorizing research, and areas for advancement in the identification of quality indicators in global food chains for the current research agenda. The paper contributed theoretically to the discussion of safety elements in food supply chains and incorporated new elements into the originally conceived framework. Thus, it helped to delineate the research field and opened up an agenda for future research.

Supply chain quality management and firm performance in China's food industry—the moderating role of social co-regulation

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between supply chain quality management (SCQM) and firm performance (including quality safety performance and sales performance) leveraging social co-regulation as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data collected from 203 food manufacturers in China, a series of hierarchical linear modeling analyses were conducted to test hypotheses on the relationships between SCQM and firm performance.

Findings

The findings are threefold. First, all three dimensions of food SCQM practices, i.e., supplier quality management, internal quality management, and customer quality management, have significant positive effects on an enterprise's quality safety performance and sales performance. Second, SCQM practices can also increase sales performance indirectly through quality safety performance as a mediator. Third, while social co-regulation has no significant effect on the relationship between supplier quality management and quality safety performance, it has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between internal quality management and quality safety performance, customer quality management and quality safety performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study not only integrates SCQM with social co-regulation but also explores the regulating effect of social co-regulation through empirical analysis, thereby providing a theoretical base for future research. However, this research is confined to China and so the results are not necessarily generalizable to other countries.

Practical implications

The findings inform managers of the importance in enhancing awareness of food quality and safety as well as in improving their sensitivity to salient quality demands of external stakeholders in order to achieve better SCQM practices. The findings can also inform policymakers of the significance in designing a systematic multi-agent cooperation mechanism for food SCQM as well as to build an effective information sharing mechanism for social co-regulation of food safety.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge by empirically examining the relationships of SCQM practices with firm performance. It also expands the scope of SCQM research by incorporating social co-regulation in the study framework.

Public health risks related to food safety issues in the food market: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Food safety in the food market is one of the key areas of focus in public health, because it affects people of every age, race, gender, and income level around the world. The local and international food marketing continues to have significant impacts on food safety and health of the public. Food supply chains now cross multiple national borders which increase the internationalization of health risks. This systematic review of literature was, therefore, conducted to identify common public health risks related to food safety issues in the food market.

METHODS

All published and unpublished quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method studies were searched from electronic databases using a three step searching. Analytical framework was developed using the PICo (population, phenomena of interest, and context) method. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) version 2018. The included full-text articles were qualitatively analyzed using emergent thematic analysis approach to identify key concepts and coded them into related non-mutually exclusive themes. We then synthesized each theme by comparing the discussion and conclusion of the included articles. Emergent themes were identified based on meticulous and systematic reading. Coding and interpreting the data were refined during analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis of 81 full-text articles resulted in seven common public health risks related with food safety in the food market. Microbial contamination of foods, chemical contamination of foods, food adulteration, misuse of food additives, mislabeling, genetically modified foods (GM foods), and outdated foods or foods past their use-by dates were the identified food safety-related public health risks in the food market.

CONCLUSION

This systematic literature review identified common food safety-related public health risks in the food market. The results imply that the local and international food marketing continues to have significant impacts on health of the public. The food market increases internationalization of health risks as the food supply chains cross multiple national borders. Therefore, effective national risk-based food control systems are essential to protect the health and safety of the public. Countries need also assure the safety and quality of their foods entering international trade and ensure that imported foods conform to national requirements.

Implementation of quality systems by Mexican exporters of processed meat

Requirements of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) are becoming essential for international trade in food commodities as a safety assurance component. This research reports the level of the adoption of ISO 9000 and the HACCP system by Federal Inspection Type (TIF) pork-exporting enterprises. Implementation and operating costs are reported as well as the benefits involved in this food industry process. In Mexico, there are 97 companies classified as TIF enterprises, and 22 are registered as exporters of processed pork with the National Services for Safety and Quality and Animal Health of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food. Surveys were administered to 22 companies, with a 95.2% response rate. Enterprise characteristics were evaluated, as well as their operating activities. Fieldwork consisted of administering structured questionnaires to TIF exporters. All the surveyed enterprises had implemented HACCP, whereas the ISO 9000 regulation was applied in only 30%. Of total production, 75% is exported to 13 countries, and 25% goes to the Mexican market niche. Results indicate that the main factors for adopting HACCP are related to accessibility to international markets, improving quality, and reducing product quality audits by customers. The results also indicated that staff training was the most important issue. Microbiological testing was the highest cost of the operation. The main benefits reported were related to better access to international markets and a considerable reduction in microbial counts. This study shows the willingness of Mexican pork processors to implement food safety protocols for producing safe and quality products to compete in the international food trade.

Mycotoxin food and feed regulation and the specific case of ochratoxin A: a review of the worldwide status

Mycotoxins are naturally occurring contaminants whose presence in food- and feedstuffs cannot be completely avoided. The safety and economic impact arising from the commercialization of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feed supply chain is considerable and acknowledged. To protect consumers from mycotoxin-derived health risks, many countries have adopted regulations or guidelines to limit exposure. Similar to regulation for other mycotoxins, the regulatory status of ochratoxin A (OTA) lacks consensus. Although this was one of the first fungal toxins to be subjected to compliance control due to its toxic properties, the conflict between the prime objective of consumer health safeguard and the economic interests of producers and traders remains. One of the key challenges facing policymakers is to balance these conflicting demands and reach consensual regulatory actions or limits. The noteworthy transboundary implications are recognized, both in the case of absence as the unsubstantiated tightening of regulatory limits. This paper scrutinizes the rationales and implications of mycotoxin regulation, with special attention devoted to OTA. In view of the ongoing debate concerning this complex issue, a review of the arguments and suggested strategies proposed by different parties is also made. The specific case of OTA regulation in food and feed is updated and analysed at a European Union and global level.

Evaluation of HACCP plans of food industries: case study conducted by the Servizio di Igiene degli Alimenti e della Nutrizione (Food and Nutrition Health Service) of the local health authority of Foggia, Italy

With respect to food safety, many works have studied the effectiveness of self-monitoring plans of food companies, designed using the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) method. On the other hand, in-depth research has not been made concerning the adherence of the plans to HACCP standards. During our research, we evaluated 116 self-monitoring plans adopted by food companies located in the territory of the Local Health Authority (LHA) of Foggia, Italy. The general errors (terminology, philosophy and redundancy) and the specific errors (transversal plan, critical limits, hazard specificity, and lack of procedures) were standardized. Concerning the general errors, terminological errors pertain to half the plans examined, 47% include superfluous elements and 60% have repetitive subjects. With regards to the specific errors, 77% of the plans examined contained specific errors. The evaluation has pointed out the lack of comprehension of the HACCP system by the food companies and has allowed the Servizio di Igiene degli Alimenti e della Nutrizione (Food and Nutrition Health Service), in its capacity as a control body, to intervene with the companies in order to improve designing HACCP plans.