THE COLD CHAIN
From field to fork: how is food safety guaranteed?
Pierluigi Semenzato of Carel talks about preserving food safety at every stage of the cold chain.
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n recent years, the attention to and awareness of what we buy has increased considerably, with positive effects also in terms of creating a more environmentally-sustainable economy. With rare exceptions, the produce we carefully choose has undergone processing and has is some way been preserved and delivered to us. Nonetheless, we do not need to worry too much about the safety of the foods we have decided to purchase based on where they come from and whether they are healthy.
This is because we are used to feeling generally confident that there are no risks, either with ‘natural’ foods or industrial products. This feeling is guaranteed by modern regulations, control bodies, traceability systems and recall mechanisms that protect us and minimise the risks to public health.
18 July 2020
What are the methods that ensure us such peace of mind today and how have they evolved? The need to preserve food so that it can be consumed in times of need is one of the first challenges mankind faced for its survival. Methods such as drying, salting and smoking date back to ancient times. The operations involved in correctly implementing these simple processes have developed and been passed on over the centuries. It has always been clear that neglecting a critical process or applying it badly meant losing a primary source of sustenance, and perhaps even endangering life. Hence the need for accuracy, experience, improvement.
For over 50 years, this approach, based on tradition, skill and common sense, has not been replaced but rather integrated and regulated with modern processes and methodologies.
Many will have heard of HACCP, historically the first and still the most valid scientific control method.
It is basically a highly-effective quality process dedicated to the food sector, mandatory in many countries, and put simply is based on some fundamental principles: Know what you are doing well (know all the stages of processing)
Identify all the risks and when they can be detected.
Carry out checks appropriately, with the right tools
Continuously improve the process thanks to acquired experiences and possible avoided accidents.
Document and trace everything accurately.
www.acr-news.com
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