FOOD PROCESSING & PACKAGING


TRACEABILITY LEADS TO SUSTAINABILITY


Mike Jamieson, president of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) at Schneider Electric, says track and trace technology wil help tackle the growing issue of food and packaging waste, and help meet our sustainability goals


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ccording to the army of nutritionists and food consultants: “We are what we eat”. This fast-growing occupation is credited


with improving our interest in food. Indeed, today’s consumer expects more information on every aspect of their food, from its nutritional make-up and long-term effects to its carbon footprint and location of origin. As demand for insight grows, so too does concern over sustainability, and more recently waste, which is expected to grow by 70% by 2050. Attention is frequently and fairly grabbed by


the shocking fact that up to half of all food produced, is wasted. Whether spills or spoils during production, poor storage, packaging or transport, or being rejected for cosmetic reasons, vast quantities of food is wasted in every stage of the supply chain. Indeed, if food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd largest CO2 emitter behind China and the USA. However, the situation is even more


worrying when it comes to food packaging. In 2017, 173.8 kg of packaging waste was generated per inhabitant in the EU, with 19% being plastic, 18% glass and 5% metal – the majority coming from food packaging. Together food and packaging/containers account for almost 45% of the materials landfilled. With the world’s population set to become


28 OCTOBER 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL


9.7bn by 2050, we require a whole new efficiency paradigm for the production and use of food, water, and energy to support constrained resources, while protecting the environment. As one of the core industries contributing to


the economy, as well as health and wellbeing of citizens, the food and beverage industry must reimagine sustainability, reducing waste, increasing circularity, and embracing electrification and digitalisation to drive tangible efficiency. In farms, digital precision crop management enables users to integrate aerial imagery and sensors to create a constant, real-time view of the environment to detect waste, abnormalities and optimise yield. In production sites, holistic cleaning monitoring tools can ensure no water goes to waste, with new technologies improving product efficiency by at least 20%. The potential benefits are quite literally, endless. Looking at the wider industry and as


recognised by the FDA , end-to-end traceability is now the key enabler of trust, transparency and sustainability. It can also help accelerate business growth by reducing costs, driving efficiency through eliminated waste, and lowering product recalls, which currently clock up to $10 million in direct costs for the manufacturer per recall. Data powers the vast majority of our day-


to-day lives - the same must become the case for the food industry. Each and every event in the product journey must be recorded and validated to create an immutable digital passport that can be viewed across the permissioned ecosystem. Ingredients, origin, manufacturing, production, packing, distribution and destination, need to be instantly accessible and able to be analysed in real-time. In case of error, say with product


contamination or packaging failure, insights can be instantly uncovered and isolated, ensuring waste across the supply chain is minimised. End-to-end visibility enables consumers, businesses and governments to trace and understand the entire history of a product. This helps drive responsible production, overall efficiency and circularly, adding as the foundation for continuous, end- to-end improvement. For example, Nestlé has improved the


traceability of Perrier spring water, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations. By incorporating operational diagnostics, traceability and quality monitoring, the business can provide real time access to enable quick, decisive action.


Circularity – what goes around, comes around


To effectively meet the challenges ahead, regions and industries must embrace the circular economy, where waste can be minimised, and products reused. Creating an interlinked ecosystem drives accountability and can be the catalyst for genuine change. End-to-end traceability means responsible production and handling claims can be substantiated, pointing to environmental culprits or supply chain vulnerabilities.


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