The Impact of Climate Change on Global Food Security

We all need food to survive, but did you know that climate change is making it harder for people to get enough of it? Food security means having reliable access to enough nutritious food, but rising temperatures, weird weather, and natural disasters are messing up food production all around the world. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how climate change is affecting our food systems and what we can do about it.

How Climate Change Affects Food Production

Crops and Yields

The weather is getting weirder. Some places are getting too hot, while others are getting too much rain or not enough. This makes it harder for farmers to grow crops like wheat, rice, and corn. When crops don’t grow well, there’s less food available for everyone.

For example, in 2010, a massive heatwave in Russia wiped out a huge portion of their wheat crop, causing a global shortage and driving up food prices. And places like East Africa are dealing with regular droughts, which means people don’t have enough water to grow their food.

Staple Crops at Risk

The crops we depend on most—like rice, wheat, and maize—are also at risk. If it gets too hot or dry, these crops just don’t grow properly, which affects food availability everywhere. And it’s not just crops; coffee and cocoa, which are important for both local economies and global trade, are also being affected by changing climates.

The Economic Impact of Climate Change on Food Security

Rising Food Prices

As climate change messes with crop production, food prices go up. This is a big deal for people who already struggle to buy food. Imagine going to the store and finding out that your regular grocery items are way more expensive because crops have been destroyed by extreme weather. This happens every time there’s a weather disaster.

For example, the 2010 heatwave in Russia made wheat more expensive worldwide, and the effects spread to other food prices. It’s not just a problem in one country—it’s a global issue.

Food Trade Is Impacted

We live in a world where food is traded globally. But when extreme weather hits, it can slow down or even stop food from being shipped where it’s needed. Countries that depend on food imports could find themselves in trouble if supply chains are disrupted.

Vulnerable Countries

Some countries, especially in Africa and parts of Asia, depend heavily on agriculture for their economy. When their crops fail, it’s not just a food problem—it becomes an economic crisis. These countries are especially vulnerable because they often don’t have the resources to bounce back quickly.

How Climate Change Affects Food Access and Distribution

Disrupted Food Supply

Imagine a hurricane wipes out roads, ports, and storage facilities, making it hard for food to get to people. That’s happening more and more. Natural disasters like floods, wildfires, and storms are destroying the infrastructure that helps get food to stores and homes.

Who’s Most Affected?

People who are already disadvantaged—like low-income families, rural communities, or indigenous groups—are hit hardest by these changes. When food becomes scarce or expensive, these groups struggle the most to get by.

Small Island Nations

Small island nations are facing rising sea levels, which are eating up valuable land for agriculture. And in Africa, areas that used to be fertile are turning into deserts, leaving people with less land to grow food. These areas need immediate support to build climate resilience.

The Unexpected: Snow in Saudi Arabia

Here’s a wild example of how climate change can lead to extreme and unexpected weather: recently, Saudi Arabia saw snowfall in parts of the country, which is not something you’d expect in a desert region. While it’s not the first time it’s happened, this rare snowfall is becoming more frequent, showing how even traditionally hot regions are experiencing strange and unpredictable weather.

This kind of unusual weather could have serious effects on agriculture in areas like Saudi Arabia, where water is already scarce, and farming is difficult. When temperatures fluctuate so drastically, it makes it even harder for farmers to predict growing seasons, leading to poor harvests. This could worsen food security for the region, especially since it relies heavily on food imports.

What Can We Do to Make Food Security Stronger?

Climate-Resilient Crops

Scientists are working on crops that can handle the extremes of climate change, like drought-resistant wheat and flood-resistant rice. These crops are being designed to survive in harsher conditions, so even when the weather isn’t ideal, farmers can still grow food.

Sustainable Farming Practices

Another way to cope is through sustainable farming. Things like precision farming (using technology to make farming more efficient), crop rotation, and water-saving techniques help farmers grow more food using fewer resources. These practices also help the environment and make farming more resilient to climate change.

Global Cooperation

We can’t solve this alone. Countries around the world are working together through agreements like the Paris Agreement to fight climate change and ensure that food security is part of the conversation. By sharing knowledge, resources, and support, we can help vulnerable areas adapt to the changing climate.

Climate change is already having a huge impact on food security, and it’s only going to get worse if we don’t take action. But there’s hope. With the right policies, smarter farming techniques, and global cooperation, we can build a more resilient food system that can withstand the challenges of a changing climate. It’s going to take a lot of work, but if we act now, we can help ensure that everyone has access to enough healthy food in the future.

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References

IPCC (2022). Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.

World Bank (2020). Climate Change and Agriculture: The Impact on Global Food Security.

FAO (2021). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021.

Global Commission on Adaptation (2019). Adapt Now: A Global Call for Leadership on Climate Resilience.

UN (2019). Climate Change and the Food System.

UNICEF (2021). Children’s Rights and Climate Change: A Snapshot of Current Understanding.

UNFCCC (2020). The Paris Agreement: Key to Climate Resilience.

CGIAR (2021). Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Tool for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems.

Ground Coffee vs. Instant Coffee

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, cherished for its rich flavor and stimulating effects. Whether you prefer the convenience of instant coffee or the robust taste of ground coffee, understanding their health implications can help you make an informed choice. Here’s a comparative look at the health aspects of ground coffee and instant coffee.

Antioxidant Content

Coffee is renowned for its antioxidant properties, particularly polyphenols, which are known for their health benefits.

  • Ground Coffee: This type of coffee is rich in antioxidants because it is less processed than instant coffee. The natural oils and compounds in ground coffee contribute to its higher antioxidant content, which may support overall health and help protect against oxidative stress.
  • Instant Coffee: While instant coffee also contains antioxidants, the levels can be slightly lower due to the processing it undergoes. The difference in antioxidant content between the two is generally not significant, but ground coffee may offer a slight edge in this area.

Acrylamide Levels

Acrylamide is a chemical that forms when coffee beans are roasted, and it is considered a potential carcinogen at high levels.

  • Ground Coffee: Typically, ground coffee contains acrylamide, but the levels are usually within safe limits. The roasting process for ground coffee tends to produce lower acrylamide concentrations compared to instant coffee.
  • Instant Coffee: Instant coffee often has higher levels of acrylamide due to the additional processing steps involved in its production. However, the acrylamide levels in both types of coffee are generally low and within safety guidelines established by health authorities.

Caffeine Content

Caffeine is a key component of coffee, providing its stimulating effects.

  • Ground Coffee: Generally, ground coffee has a higher caffeine content per serving compared to instant coffee. This can be beneficial for those seeking an energy boost, but it may also be a concern for individuals sensitive to caffeine or those looking to reduce their intake.
  • Instant Coffee: Instant coffee usually contains slightly less caffeine per serving. For individuals who need to moderate their caffeine consumption, instant coffee might be a preferable option. The exact caffeine content can vary by brand, so checking labels is advisable.

Additives and Processing

The production methods and ingredients can affect the healthfulness of coffee.

  • Ground Coffee: Typically free from additives, ground coffee consists solely of roasted and ground coffee beans. This makes it a more natural choice with fewer potential health concerns.
  • Instant Coffee: Some instant coffee products may include preservatives, sugars, or other additives to enhance flavor or extend shelf life. Reading ingredient labels is important to avoid unwanted substances.

Impact on Digestion

Coffee’s acidity can affect different individuals in various ways.

  • Ground Coffee: The natural oils and acids in ground coffee can be harsh on the stomach for some people, potentially leading to acid reflux or digestive discomfort.
  • Instant Coffee: Often less acidic, instant coffee may be easier on the stomach for those with sensitive digestive systems. However, this difference is usually minor and can vary based on individual tolerance.

Environmental Impact

Environmental considerations can also play a role in choosing between ground and instant coffee.

  • Ground Coffee: Generally has a smaller environmental footprint, especially if you use eco-friendly brewing methods and compost coffee grounds.
  • Instant Coffee: The production of instant coffee is more energy-intensive, and its packaging often involves single-use plastics or non-recyclable materials. This can contribute to a greater environmental impact.

Conclusion

Both ground coffee and instant coffee can fit into a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. Ground coffee may offer additional health benefits due to its higher antioxidant content and lower acrylamide levels. However, instant coffee provides convenience and ease of preparation, making it a practical choice for many. When making your choice, consider factors like caffeine intake, processing, additives, and environmental impact to find the option that best suits your needs and preferences.

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Food Safety Culture Plan

Food safety organizational culture has historically been overlooked but is now gaining popularity. Noncompliance with quality and food safety management system regulations is a common and serious issue to all who are working in food industry.

Research suggests that food safety involves both microbiological and behavioral factors (Griffith and Redmond, 2009). According to Howes et al. (1996), 97% of outbreaks in non-manufacturing food enterprises were caused by food handler errors or malpractices. Research suggests that over 40% of food safety behaviors may be influenced by the organization’s culture.

With considering those factors, third-party standards like ISO 22000 and the BRC Global Food Safety Standard include cultural assessment elements, which are largely subjective.

Griffith et al. (2010) define organizational work culture as the interactions, values, and behaviors of groups inside a firm, rather than individuals. Hygienic food handling depends on the business’s leadership, facilities, management systems, and culture (Griffith, 2000).

Maintaining a favorable food safety culture is crucial for brand success. To foster a healthy food safety culture, top management must understand their role in culture development and provide their managers with the necessary skills (Griffith et al., 2010). This is especially important for middle management and unit levels.

Currently, there is no consensus on the key organizational characteristics that determine safety culture in practice.

To explore the impact of safety culture on food safety performance, six indicators from other highly regulated workplaces were identified.

(1) Management systems, style and processes
(2) Leadership
(3) Communication
(4) Commitment
(5) Environment
(6) Risk awareness, perception and risk taking behavior.

Leadership

Leadership is distinguished from management, with the former focusing on influencing people and aligning them with organizational goals and values, particularly in the context of food safety. Key elements of effective food safety leadership include having a clear vision, strong values, and the ability to inspire others towards collective goals.

Various leadership theories are discussed, ranging from traditional approaches that focus on leader traits to contemporary models such as transactional and transformational leadership. These theories emphasize the importance of leaders in promoting safety behaviors among employees and fostering a culture of food safety.

Leadership is seen as starting from the top of the organization and permeating down, with both top management and middle management playing crucial roles in shaping the food safety culture. Leaders at all levels are necessary, with different levels of management providing both macro and micro leadership, respectively.

Ultimately, effective food safety leadership involves setting clear standards, goals, and values, and effectively communicating these to employees to ensure compliance and promote a culture of safety throughout the organization.

Communication

Effective communication is essential for conveying information, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities, and aligning employees with the organization’s food safety goals and values.

Communication encompasses various channels and methods, including formal and informal approaches such as face-to-face discussions, emails, and workplace conversations. The quality of communication, as measured by leader-member exchange and approach intention, significantly influences safety behaviors and attitudes among employees.

However, challenges such as noise and the potential for miscommunication can impede the effectiveness of communication efforts. It’s crucial for organizations to have a well-defined communication strategy that prioritizes safety messages, encourages open dialogue, and provides feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement.

Positive safety cultures are characterized by employees feeling free to discuss safety issues with supervisors, and effective safety communication is linked to attributions of errors and the priority given to safety-related issues across various industries.

In summary, effective communication is vital for promoting a strong food safety culture within organizations, facilitating the transfer of knowledge, and ensuring alignment with safety goals and values.

Commitment

Organizational commitment is classified into continuance commitment, normative commitment, and affective commitment, each describing different motivations for remaining with an organization. While individual commitment can be assessed during the hiring process, maintaining a positive commitment to food safety among the entire workforce, especially during challenging economic times, is more challenging.

Various organizational commitment models have been developed to understand its impact on employee behavior. Indicators of commitment include rewards and incentives, job satisfaction, and personal responsibility, all of which have been linked to safety culture. Additionally, the concept of rewards for hygienic behavior is tied to motivation and job satisfaction.

Different motivation theories, such as Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and goal-setting theory, shed light on the complex nature of motivation. Effective managers and supervisors play a crucial role in motivating staff to behave hygienically by providing praise, recognition, and setting clear goals.

In summary, commitment to food safety is essential at both organizational and individual levels, and understanding and fostering this commitment is crucial for promoting a strong food safety culture within organizations.

Environment

The multifaceted nature of the food safety environment within businesses, encompassing both tangible factors like the availability of hygiene equipment and intangible factors like perceived organizational support (POS).

Having sufficient facilities and resources positively reinforces the importance of food safety practices, while their absence may convey a lack of importance. POS measures the level of support employees perceive from the organization regarding resources and safety measures.

Studies in the manufacturing industry suggest that higher POS is associated with increased engagement in safety-related behaviors. This support is communicated through sustained quality standards and approaches used to measure food safety excellence.

In summary, the food safety environment is influenced by a variety of psychological and situational factors, and organizations can positively impact it by providing adequate resources and fostering a culture of support for food safety practices.

Risk perception, awareness and risk taking behavior

Risk perception involves individuals’ judgments and decision-making processes regarding the likelihood and severity of adverse events. In the context of food safety, effective risk communication is crucial, involving the identification, projection, and mitigation of risks within an organization. Food handlers may exhibit optimistic bias or an illusion of control, believing their practices are safe despite evidence to the contrary. Personal, qualitative approaches to risk communication, such as using real-life examples, can be more effective than quantitative approaches in conveying the seriousness of food safety risks.

Factors like the hygiene hypothesis and attitudinal ambivalence can influence risk perception and behavior, potentially leading to risk-taking behaviors. Risk awareness and behavior are significant components of safety culture, with various factors influencing individuals’ responses to risk information, including trust in the information source. Active employee involvement in risk-related processes is associated with more effective crisis prevention and management, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive risk communication strategy for fostering a strong food safety culture.

Assessing food safety culture involves several key steps, starting with identifying the components to be assessed and selecting appropriate assessment methods. Qualitative methods like group interviews and focus groups offer depth, while quantitative methods such as questionnaires provide ease of administration. It’s crucial to involve various levels within the organization, especially in larger organizations, and consider how data will be analyzed and communicated.

Cooper’s tri-component model, based on Bandura’s model of reciprocal determinism, offers a theoretical framework for assessing food safety culture. It includes subjective psychological factors assessed by food safety climate questionnaires, safety-related behaviors observed through various methods, and situational/environmental aspects measured by audits. This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding and benchmarking of food safety culture within and between businesses.

Reasons to measure food safety culture include assessing compliance with safety management systems, raising awareness of food safety, benchmarking sites, informing training and remedial actions, promoting commitment, and identifying weaknesses and evaluating risks. While climate questionnaires have limitations, they remain valuable tools when used alongside other assessment methods. Overall, research in various industries has generated diverse approaches to measuring organizational culture, with a focus on industry-specific factors for practical application.

Adopting a behavioral/food safety culture-based approach to food safety management may lower the prevalence of food-borne diseases.

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References

Griffith, C.J. and Redmond, E. (2009), “Good practice for food handlers and consumers”, in Blackburn, C. de W. and McClure, P.J. (Eds), Foodborne Pathogens. Hazards, Risk Analysis and Control, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp. 518-46

Howes, M., McEwen, S., Griffiths, M. and Harris, L. (1996), “Food handler certification by home study: measuring changes in knowledge and behaviour”, Dairy Food Sanitation, Vol. 16, pp. 737-44.

Griffith, C.J. (2000), “Food safety in catering establishments”, in Faber, J.M. and Todd, E.C.D. (Eds), Safe Handling of Foods, Marcel Dekker, Toronto, pp. 235-56

Griffith, C.J., Livesey, K.M. and Clayton, D. (2010), “Food safety culture: the evolution of an emerging risk factor?”, British Food Journal, Vol. 112 No. 4, pp. 426-38.

KOMBUCHA

What Exactly Is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fizzy sweet-and-sour tea drink. Many people claim it relieves or prevents a wide range of health issues, from hair loss to cancer and AIDS.

There is little research on kombucha tea. According to preliminary research, kombucha tea may provide benefits similar to probiotic supplements. Some research suggests that kombucha tea may help maintain a healthy immune system and prevent constipation.

However, there are few reliable medical studies on the effects of kombucha tea on human health. There are also dangers to consider.

It was invented in China and quickly spread to Japan and Russia. It gained popularity in Europe in the early twentieth century. Because of its reputation as a health and energy drink, sales in the United States are increasing.

Kombucha Components
Kombucha’s basic ingredients are yeast, sugar, and black tea. The mixture is set aside for at least a week. During that time, bacteria and acids, as well as a trace of alcohol, form in the drink. Fermentation is the process by which cabbage is preserved as sauerkraut or kimchi, or milk is converted into yogurt.

These bacteria and acids combine to form a film on top of the liquid known as a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). You can ferment more kombucha with a SCOBY.

Lactic-acid bacteria, which are found in kombucha, can act as a probiotic. Kombucha also contains a good amount of B vitamins.

Health Benefits of Kombucha
It is said to aid digestion, rid the body of toxins, and increase energy. It is also said to strengthen your immune system, aid in weight loss, protect against high blood pressure and heart disease, and prevent cancer. However, there isn’t much evidence to back up these claims.

Fermented foods are generally beneficial to the microbiome and gut health. Fermentation produces probiotics, which aid in the treatment of diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and may even strengthen immune system.

Kombucha Risks

Some people have reported stomach upset, infections, and allergic reactions after drinking Kombucha tea. Kombucha tea is frequently made (brewed) in filthy homes. This increases the likelihood of bad bacteria growing.

Lead poisoning occurs when tea is prepared in ceramic pots that contain lead. Lead leaks from the ceramic glaze due to the acids in the tea.

However, the FDA states that kombucha is safe when properly prepared. Experts recommend using glass, stainless steel, or plastic containers when making it at home. Keep everything clean, including your hands and the equipment.

Kombucha tea should be avoided by pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as those with compromised immune systems.

Others may consume the tea if they enjoy the flavor, but only if it comes from a reliable source.

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Nutritional and Health Benefits of Jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) Leaves

The Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jackfruit) is a species of tree of the mulberry family Moraceae. Jackfruit is native to Western Ghats of India, south-eastern Asia, eastern Africa, Brazil, Australia, and many Pacific Islands.

It is a non-seasonal fruit and had a major contribution to the food supply of the people and their livestock when there were short supplies of staple food grains.

Popularly know for its large sweet, tasty and yellow fruit, this three has many other beneficial parts which include it leaves, seeds, root and latex.

 Artocarpus heterophyllus possesses know anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-helminthic activities.

The leaf has many therapeutic properties especially its diabetes control, antioxidant, asthma, ring worm infestation, gall stones and anti-aging properties. It has distinctive flavour and fragrance and it is known be rich in vitamin.

Leaves are thought to possess wound healing, anti-syphilitic, vermifuge activity and to induce lactation in women and domesticated animals.

Processing:

The jackfruits leaves are dried under hygienic condition and at low temperature. They are then milled to bring out fine blend of tea.

 However more researches should be devoted for discovering possible industrial application of jackfruit leaves.

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References –

Proximate analysis of Terminalia bellerica (Behera) and Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jackfruit) leaves – International Journal of chemical studies.

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Pest Control in the Food Processing Industry

The presence of pests in food production and preparation areas has always been unacceptable.

Pest management is part of the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for food business, which is a prerequisite for the HACCP, based procedures in place. As an integral part of GMPs, it should be carried out with due diligence and properly documented.

Before discuss about the pest management we have to answer the question “What is a pest?”

Pests are organisms that damage or interfere with desirable plants in our field and orchards, land scarpers, or wild lands, or damage homes or other structures. Pests also include organisms that impact human or animal health. Pests may transmit disease or may be just a nuisance. A pest can be a plant, vertebrate, invertebrate, nematode, pathogens that causes disease or other unwanted organisms that may harm water quality, animal life or other parts of the ecosystems.

The risks posed by pests include;

  • The spread of disease – pathogens are transferred from the gut or external surface of the pest.
  • Damage to property
  • Contamination of work surface and food stuffs
  • Adverse public opinion and loss of reputation
  • Prosecution and closure
  • Poor staff relations

There are also somewhat antagonistic trends such as less reliance on the use of residual pesticide treatments and the demand for perfect food products, free of pesticide residues, which is becoming one of the main challenges faced by the food industry in the field of pest management.

Most buildings provide three main attractions for pests;

  • Shelter
  • Food
  • Warmth

Most pests actually require very small amounts of food an adult mouse, for example can survive on at little as 3 grams a day.

A few degrees increase in temperature may be sufficient to encourage infestation.

A master solution programs and the training of personnel to implement sanitation practices are essential.

Mainly we can identify the pest exclusion measures as below;

  • Elimination of pest refuges and pest colony “nests”
  • Influence of physical condition control
  • Interior design of food plants and stores for pest proofing
  • Organization of food product chain

Early detection of pest presence and monitoring insect pest density is vey important in pest controlling.

Visual Inspection of vulnerable situation for pest in food industry;

  1. Visual Inspection –
  • In storerooms, stacking of goods should be far away from walls (30-50cm)
  • Strike separation is required between raw materials, food processing areas, finished food products and the packaging zone to prevent cross-contamination
  • Plant and other equipment must be free of infestation before being brought on site
  • Rubbish storage areas must be kept tidy, using only close fitting containers regularly emptied.
  1. Management of waste –
  • Waste areas should be situated more than 10m away from the main building
  • All waste bins should have light fitting lids
  • Garbage area should be enclosed within a mesh cage to prevent access by birds

IPM;

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a process you can use to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment. IPM can be used to manage all kinds of pests anywhere in urban, agricultural and wild land or natural areas.

IPM is an eco-system- based strategy that focuses on long term prevention of pests of their damage through a combinations of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, and modification of cultural practices and use of resistant varieties.

Pesticides are used only after monitoring indicators they are used according to established guidelines, and treatments are made with the goal of removing only the target organism. Pest control materials are selected and applied in a manner that minimizes risks to human health, beneficial and non-target organisms, and the environment.

As per the recent researches in the case of implementation of IPM in stored-grain, many quality managers of food plants have not get adopted IPM practices for many reasons;

  • Additional cost or personnel implication
  • Minimum required knowledge
  • Difficulty adopting a new technology
  • Pressure of pesticide supplier or fumigation company

However while the aim of an IPM is to minimize pest risk through proofing, hygiene and environmental management, there will be occasions when pesticides will be employed to eradicate an infestation on site.

The use of pesticides can present a risk of product contamination, risks to the health of users and third parties and a risk to the environment.

Reporting and record keeping;

The organization of a reporting system and maintenance of records is essential if GMP status is to be achieved.

 Records must be kept for the following reasons;

  • To highlight any recommendations
  • To demonstrate compliance with legislation
  • To monitor pest management processes
  • As evidence of compliance to third party auditor

The objective of the pest management programme should be to prevent, as far as practicable, the introduction of pests onto the site and to reduce the conditions that may encourage their presence.  

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References –

Pest Control Procedures in the food industry – Charted Institute of Environmental Health

Food industry practices affecting pest management –Stewart Postharvest Review – March 2015

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Plant-based Milks

Many consumers are interested in decreasing their consumption of animal products because of health, environmental and ethical reasons. Therefore food technologists searching for alternative plant based products.

Many researches findings are prove that the consumption of high levels of animal-based products, particularly those obtained from cows, such as beef and milk, is one of the major factors contributing to the negative impact on health. Therefore consumers are interest to switch to plant-based diets with considering health, food sustainability, environmental pollution, land use and water use.

Animal milks such as bovine milk, goat milk and cow milk are most popular animal based milk in the global. According to the USDA milk production continues to increase in the United States, with over 215,000 million pounds being produced in 2017.There are already many plant-based milk products on the market such as almond, soy, rice, coconut, and oat based milk substitutes. However there is a doubt in the preference of customers for these products due to sensory characteristics.

So when developing plant-based milk has to consider on the following factors;

  • Affordable
  • Convenient
  • Desirable
  • Nutritional
  • Sustainable

And also consideration has to focus legislation to referring the product wording as “milk”. Because in many countries plant-based fluid products are usually referred to as drinks, beverages, dairy alternatives or some other name other than “milk”.

Mainly development of successful alternatives depends on understanding the characteristics of real milk, such as composition, structure and functional properties.

In nature, milk serves as a nutrient delivery system from the mother to infant, as well as stimulating the development of the infant’s immune system. However the problem in now days is, do people really consume milk to fulfill their nutrition requirements or just as a habit or as an addiction?”

Understanding the applications;

Milk is often used as a hot or cold beverage, but it may also be used in various other ways such as;

  • It can be added to tea, coffee
  • It can be used to prepare cereals
  • It can be used as dressing, sauce
  • It used to prepare bakery items
  • Mainly for desserts

Not only that, milk can be converted into a variety of other dairy products such as;

  • Milk powder
  • Whipped cream
  • Heavy cream
  • Yogurt
  • Ice cream
  • Butter
  • Cheese

Therefore it is important to study how plant-based alternatives use in similar manner, otherwise people will not switch from consuming animal-based milk to plant-based alternatives.

Food technologists are highlighted the two main production routes for fabricating plant-based milk;

  1. Disruption of plant materials (nuts, seeds or legumes) to form aqueous suspensions of oil bodies.
  2. Formation of oil-in water emulsions by homogenization of oil, water and emulsifiers.

Presently many companies produced a board range of plant-based milk products.

A recent report from the Good Food Institute stated that “in 2018, retail sales of plant-based milk were $1.8 billion, which equals to 13% of the total U.S. retail market”.

In the future, it will be important to develop high-quality plant-based milks with desirable sensory attributes as well as with good physio chemical stability.

So, now it is time to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different plant-based milks.

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ISO 22000:2018; How to prepare the context of the organization

Context of the organization is a new requirement in ISO 22000, this section requires the organization to analyses its context, determine its interested parties, define the scope of the food safety management system, and a clear focus on the processes and requirements needed to achieve the food safety objectives.    

In the ISO 22000:2018 standard, the context of the organization is outlined as;

4.1 – Understanding the organization and its context

4.2 – Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties

4.3 – Determine the scope of the food safety management system

4.4 – Food safety management system

First the organization has to decide “what is it that your company does”. (Ex: manufacturing of wheat based bakery products and the distribution of them)

Defining this helps to understand how will achieve that and what road-blocks and opportunities you face.

Where to start?

4.1 – Understanding the organization and its context;

An organization will need to consider both the internal and external issues and the needs and expectations of stakeholders and interested parties. In this case “issue” can include positive and negative factors or conditions for consideration.

Although the standard doesn’t prescribe the method for determining the context of the organization, there are some logical steps and milestones.

Context of the organization also looks at a SWOT, PESTLE or CPM (Competitive Profile Matrix) analysis;

SWOT is to identify internal strengths, internal weaknesses, external opportunities, and external threats. As well as mitigation of the risk and the company’s plans to invest in the internal strengths and opportunities.

PESTEL model involves the collection and portrayal of information about external factors which have, or may have, an impact on business.

PESTEL stands for:

  • P – Political
  • E – Economic
  • S – Social
  • T – Technological
  • E – Environmental
  • L – Legal

Even though documented information is not mandatory, it is useful to demonstrate the understanding & analysis of the internal & external issues;

External Issues;

  • Cultural, social, political, legal, financial, technological, economic and natural surroundings including the environment in which the organization operates.
  • Who the competitors are and any contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, partners and providers.
  •  National & international law (Environment, employment, health and safety)
  • Industry drivers and trends which have influence on the organization
  • The organization products and services and their influence on food safety
  • Availability and variety of external providers 0f services/products
  • Capacity of changes regarding premises
  • Waste management
  • Trade controls
  • Tax policies / exchange rates

Internal Issues;

  • Governance, organizational structure, roles and accountabilities
  • Policies, objectives and the strategies in place to achieve them
  • Competence of personnel
  • Food safety culture within the organization and the relationship with workers’
  • Process for the introduction of new products, materials, services, tools, software, premises and equipment
  • Working conditions
  • Resources
  • Retention of skilled employees
  • Number and variety of customers
  • Infrastructure level
  • Rate of technological change
  • Spending on research & development
  • Communication infrastructure
  • Access to newest technology

An organization’s internal context is the environment in which it aims to achieve its objectives. Internal context can include its approach to governance, its contractual relationships with customers, and its interested parties. Things that need to be considered are related to the culture, beliefs, values, or principles inside the organization, as well as complexity of processes and organizational structure.

4.2 – Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties

This includes mapping interested parties; stakeholders, and others that may be perceived to be affected by your company (e.g. suppliers, FDA, employees, etc.)

Stakeholders can influence FSMS positively and negatively.

It is necessary to identify all stakeholders within the FSMS, they will; shareholders, suppliers, competitors, consumers, trade associations, employees, customers, distributors, regulators, landlords.    

The organization need to identify needs and expectations of those parties which are related to FSMS. Some of the needs and expectations would be mandatory and incorporated into law and regulatory requirements. Therefor the organization should identify, review and update information related to the interested parties and their requirements.

4.3 – Determine the scope of the food safety management system

This is not a new clause, but there are some extended terms with considering organization context and needs and expectations of interested parties.

The scope statement must be maintained as documented information. For example:
“The pasteurization, carbonation and packing of fruit juice into glass bottles”

4.4 – Food safety management system

This is same as the 4.1 clause in the ISO 22000:2015 standard, an organization has to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve a FSMS.

Are you update on the labeling regulations related to bio-engineered food??

Bio-engineered food, also referred to as genetically engineered (GE) or genetically modified (GM) are food for which the DNA of the source organism has been artificially modified in some way, ordinarily to alter traits of that organisms.

The first commercial GM crop have been sale in 1994; calgene produced a tomato for which ripening could be delayed. There have been many success stories for GM food, such as increasing yield, reduced wastage, increasing drought tolerance and reducing susceptibility to pests.

The most common GM crops on the market are soybean, corn, cotton, canola, and sugar beet. According to the Lesser, 2014 that a majority of processed food in grocery stores include at least one GM crop ingredient.

Recent reports found that 51% of 2,537 U.S.adults surveyed thought that the average person faces a serious health risk from food additives over their lifetime and 49% from those asked believed that food with GM ingredients are worse for one’s health that non-GM food. But these believes hard to prove due to lack of researches.

Current labeling policy;

Since 1992, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required labeling of GM food only if the food has a nutritional or food safety property that is significantly different from what consumers would be expect of that food. For example; if a new GM food includes a protein that may be an allergen not expected to be present, then it would have to be labeled.

In 2001, the FDA proposed voluntary guidelines for companies that choose to label food as to whether they do or do not contain GM ingredients if they see sufficient market opportunities for doing.

What is new??

In the U.S, GM crops are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in May 2018 planed requiring brand to declare any bio-engineered ingredients.

According the Dr. Durham; there are three significant drivers for the change in ruling regarding the labeling of bio-engineered food ingredients;

  • Consumer right to know
  • Safety
  • Avoidance

When considering the labeling policies, the issue is that GM crops aren’t ingredients or additives. Genetic modification is a plant breeding process.

The new ruling aims to provide a mandatory, uniform disclosure standard for bio-engineered food to provide consistent information to consumers.

The aim of the legislation is not to imply safety or lack thereof bio-engineering food ingredients, but to supply the public with sufficient information to enable them to make their own choice as to whether they consume bio-engineered products.

Issues with new rule??

However it appear the issues to considering with mandatory labeling in the industry. They are;

  • What percentage of a GM ingredient must be present in food before a label is required?
  • Would meat, eggs and dairy products from animals fed GM feed crops require a label?
  • Would food ingredients made using GM yeast or GM enzymes require a label?
  • Would food served in restaurant or other food-service establishments require a label?
  • How regulators verify claims that a food is or not genetically modified?
  • What is the economic impact of mandatory labeling?

It is no doubt that consumer have a right to know what in their food, with considering health & safety, allergen reactions and religious or ethical reasons.

But industry in still argue against the mandatory labeling with straight forwarding the following point;

  • Labels on GM food imply a warning about health effect, without clear verifiable evidence for differences in health effects between GM & conventional food.

However according to the USDA the implementation date for this new standard is January 1, 2020, expect for small food manufactures, whose implementation date is January 1, 2021. The mandatory compliance date is January, 2022 .

For brands that fail to meet the deadline it could prove costly as non-compliant products may be removed form shelves.

References

CNBC,2019.Government lays out the rules for labeling for genetically modified foods[online]Available at:< https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/20/usda-lays-out-the-rules-for-labeling-for-genetically-modified-foods.html> [Accessed 06 September 2019]  

Colorado State University.Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods[pdf] Colorado State University.Available: at<https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/foodnut/09371.pdf> [Accessed 06 September 2019]

Lesser, W., Costs of labeling genetically modified food products in N.Y. state, 2014, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, http://dyson.cornell.edu/people/profiles/docs/LabelingNY.pdf

How to validate your heat process??

Heat processing is at the very center of food preservation and is one of the most well-known and practiced areas of food manufacturing. The heat process has a critical role in ensuring that foods are safe from microbiological contamination and remain high in nutritional and sensory attributes.

Heat process validation tests the effectiveness of the heat process to ensure the safety of the product.

The well-known heat processes which are used in food industry are;

Blanching

Pasteurization

Cooking

Retorting

Hot- Holding

All these process can control or destroy the microbial growth.

Heat process validation is complex, so it may be best to hire a professional who familiar with the process and the product to validating.

The basic steps of the heat process validation are;

1.Determining the target pathogen

2.Pathogen reduction

3.Verifying pathogen reduction

4. Identifying HACCP controls & critical limits

1.Determining the target pathogen

Target pathogen is most heat resistant pathogen; a public health significant, that is reasonably likely to occur in the product.

The goal of the heat processing is to eliminate the target pathogen or reduce to growing up level that is unable to cause illness under normal storage and handling.
Pathogen may occur naturally on raw food or more introduce with handling & processing.

Most common target pathogens associated with ready to eat food are;
Clostridium botulinum
Listeria monocytogenes

To identify the target pathogen need complete description on finished product including;

-Final packaging
-Storage
-Distribution
If the process changes to pH, water activity and water phase salt or any combination of these in the final product, these changes may provide additional barriers that will affect the target pathogen chosen.

The product packaging and distribution also have a significant impact on the target pathogen.
Main two types of packaging used for ready to eat foods are-
* Oxygen permeable packaging-

Oxygen transmission rate with 10,000 cm3 /m2 per 24 hours at 24(C, can be regarded as oxygen permeable.
* Reduced oxygen packaging –
Any packaging with the transmission rate less than above consider as reduced oxygen packaging.
Reduced oxygen packaging include; vacuum packing, modified atmosphere packaging, controlled atmosphere packaging.
Reduced oxygen environment can form within oxygen permeable packaging under certain circumstances such as;
-Within deep containers
– Products packaged in oil
-Products compacted preventing the flow of oxygen throughout the entire container

Product distribution and stores will usually in the one of those categories;
*Refrigerated storage
*Frozen storage
*Shelf – stable

As mentioned in previously the most common pathogen in cooked ready to eat products are Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes.

Clostridium botulinum falls in to two categories as non-proteolytic and proteolytic, both of which form protective spores that allow pathogens to alive extreme like cooking. Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobes, meaning it growth best and produce toxins in the absence of the oxygen.
Listeria does not produce spores, so it most susceptible to destruction by cooking. However Listeria is facultative anaerobe, meaning that is grow with or without oxygen.
These pathogens grow under different conditions created by the product final packaging.

2. Determining the target pathogen

Second step is determine the process time & temperature to achieve pathogen reduction. The heat process should typically design to achieve the 6D Reduction.
6D Reduction –
D – Time needed to kill 90% of the target organisms at a specific temperature.
90% Reduction – Reducing 1 million organisms to one hundred thousand: a one log reduction.
6D Reduction – 6 times the D value, a six logarithmic reduction in the target pathogen.
6-log reduction – 99.9999% reduction in the number of the target pathogen in the product.
Processors can conduct the heat resistance study to determine the D value needed for the specific product or if the scientific literature will support using different D values.

The normal active growing stage of the microorganisms is the vegetative cells. Under stress conditions some microorganisms form spores. The spore is with thick wall that highly resistance to extreme conditions. Generally spores are more heat tolerance than vegetative cells. Spores may survive pasteurization and cooking. Different spores has different levels of heat resistance. Hence some spores are more difficult to kill than others.
Some of the food characteristics make it easier or harder to destroy pathogens in it. Sugars and oils in food tend to shell the pathogen form effect of heat. Pathogens will kill more easily food with acidic pH or with high moisture content.

When developing new products, processors need to collect their own data to establish a heat process for the target pathogen. And processors responsible to validate that heat processed consistently render a safe product.

3. Verifying the pathogen reduction

The effectiveness of the heat process depend on the three factors;
-How heat is distribute to the product within the heating vessel
-The rate that heat penetrate in to the product
-How the target pathogen response to the heat

How heat is distribute to the product within the heating vessel??

This is a complex temperature distribution study. Temperature distribution studies evaluate how evenly heat is distributed throughout equipment. Temperature distribution is influence by the type of the system, heating medium (hard water/steam), design of the equipment and product (amount, distribution & position)
The temperature distribution study will help ensure that every unit of product in the heating equipment exposed to heating media at the desired temperature.

The rate that heat penetrates in to the product;

After establishing time & temperature combination needed to achieve the 6D reduction, the next step is to determine how long takes the coldest point of the product to reach the target temperature. This is determine by performing heat penetration study.
Many factors affect heat penetration such as;
-Size and initial temperature of raw food
-Type of heating medium
-Proportion of liquid to solid

Apply 6D time and temperature combination to the cold spot under worst possible conditions that could occur doing regular processing.
Heat penetration in to the food can be measured using thermos couples or other measuring devices, place within the product prior to starting the heat process. These devices measure how long it takes the time to reach the appropriate temperature until cold spot.
There are two principle ways of heat transfer with the contained food;
* Conduction – heat transferring from one particle of the food to the next, heat transfer is slow. With conduction slowest part of the food heat is typically the center. Hence the thermocouple have to place in center of the container.
* Convection – The faster method of heat transfer. Here as the food heat, it rises usually along the sides of the container. At the same time the cool of food at the center force crating the occurring that moves heat throughout the cooking vessel. Convection only occur when food can move within the cooking vessel. Examples include liquid food like soups, sauces. In this case the coldest point is usually along the container vertical center line, above the 1/3 of height from the bottom of the container.

*Combination (Convection & conduction) – when the heat is penetrate through the combination of these two process, the coldest point would be the geometric center of the vessel.

The final cooking time should be long enough to inactivate or destroy the pathogens in cold spot.
Individual pieces of equipment have their own rates of heating and temperature variations leading cold spot. So every unit of product is subject to minimum time and temperature requirements.

How the target pathogen response to the heat??

This evaluate how the target pathogen responds to the heat. The combination of heat penetration and temperature distribution should allow heat process to achieve 6D reduction.
Following characters have to include in the successful heat process;
-Correct amount of heat
-Appropriate heating method
-Result in 6D reduction

With considering;
-Characteristics of food
-Packaging
-Processing equipment
-Target pathogen

4. Identifying HACCP controls & critical limits

Validating of the heat process, making sure that appropriate controls are place to the target pathogen and the critical limits necessary to ensure that consistence safe product is incorporate with HACCP plan.
Critical limits may be based on other factors besides time and temperature. Critical limits are based on the factors defined at the heat distribution study and the process equipment.
Establishing monitoring system is also very important to continual monitoring and improvement process.
Records of validation procedures and studies should include;
-Method used to establish D- value
-Heat resistance and penetration data
-Temperature distribution data
-Verification of the final process

It is important to seeking professional assistance for heat process validation, while the initial cost may be high, knowing the product has been process properly and safe for the consumer will be worth the cost while minimize food borne associate illness.

References –

Thermal process compliance – Campden BRI, Food and drink innovation

Validation of heat processes- G.S. Tucker, Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association, Chipping Campden

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