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FOOD & BEVERAGE A COLLECTIVE JOURNEY TOWARDS DIGITAL MATURITY
According to Ian Scott- Mance, Technology Manager, Mettler- Toledo Product Inspection, food processors should see digitalisation as an opportunity to unlock value for their business
s the food supply chain undergoes modernisation and calls for heightened transparency in food safety grow louder, food manufacturers find themselves facing the need to embrace digitalisation. For food manufacturers worldwide, the unwavering priority is clear—food safety is non-negotiable. Protecting consumers from microbiological and physical contaminants necessitates a meticulous approach from every player in the industry.
A
Stakeholders, ranging from governments and industry organisations to retailers and supermarkets, are increasingly formalising their expectations into frameworks that food manufacturers must adhere to. While current regulations do not mandate digital records, initiatives like the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA's) New Era of Smarter Food Safety and Global Food Safety Initiative’s (GFSI's) Race to the Top highlight the gathering momentum for digital food traceability. Think of the farmer weighing and recording batches of potatoes, or the food manufacturer inspecting for contaminants with electronic data records. This digitalised future enhances efficiency, compliance and product recall capabilities. The entire food supply chain will inevitably embrace digitalised food safety processes to meet evolving requirements. So, how can manufacturers stay a step ahead? Unlocking Efficiency, Compliance and Traceability through Digitalisation Digital record-keeping, automatically collected and easily shared, is set to become commonplace, revolutionising efficiency, compliance and traceability. The data generated will empower food manufacturers to operate more efficiently, comply with auditor requirements seamlessly, and significantly reduce the time and resources needed in the event of a product recall. However, the current state of digital technology implementation in the industry is fragmented. Each company must embark on a journey toward achieving a degree of digital maturity around their food safety processes.
26 MAY 2024 | PROCESS & CONTROL
The term "towards" is crucial here. Given the vastness and complexity of the food manufacturing industry, not every link in the chain will reach the most sophisticated standards of digital maturity. The imperative for a farmer and a multinational food producer will differ, but both can contribute to a supply chain based on digital data and transparency.
Navigating Compliance and Business Imperatives
Food safety digital maturity hinges on compliance and business imperatives, necessitating a careful balance where the value derived surpasses the associated costs. Currently, global regulations lack specificity, leading to a varied landscape where different countries enact isolated initiatives. For instance, the FDA in the US outlines rules for data records compliance, with exceptions based on company size and cost absorption capabilities. This lack of a universal mandate places companies, theoretically, at Level 1 of the digital maturity pyramid.
This brings us to an interesting topic – the pyramid. What exactly is it and where do businesses sit within it? Ascending the pyramid reveals businesses with progressively enhanced digital capabilities. At Level 2, companies manually collect digital data from machinery, often using USB sticks. Level 3 is where data collection is automated supporting auditing, reporting and production efficiency improvement. Further levels of digital maturity, more relevant to larger enterprises, envision deeper integration of food safety data with customer and cloud applications.
In light of this diversity, each participant in the food supply chain must understand its current digital maturity status in terms of food safety processes. The focus should then shift to analysing how the collection and sharing of digital data can not only benefit the entity itself but also contribute to the broader ecosystem of supply chain partners. Digital maturity will be a future necessity, so companies must proactively lay the groundwork essential for their roles in a digitally enabled food supply chain, emphasising food safety best practices and governance.
The Intrinsic Value of Digital Maturity in Food Safety
As digital technology continues to advance, industries have reaped the rewards of enhanced efficiency, accelerated time-to- market and improved product quality and safety. The food manufacturing sector is no exception, as it faces the dual challenge of meeting regulatory compliance and consumer expectations. The value of food safety digital maturity for manufacturers includes advantages that are both quantifiable and intangible. The Quantifiable Value of Food Safety Digital Maturity: Reduced Production Costs (Estimated possible saving: 5%): Digital systems continuously monitor various production facets, enabling quick identification and rectification of negative performance trends. This proactive approach minimises issues like product giveaway and unplanned downtime. Reduced Time to Access Production Critical
Data (Estimated possible saving: 15%): Automated data collection and continuous monitoring expedite access to crucial production data. This immediacy aids in issue resolution, reduces reporting times and promotes a more productive and safer use of staff resources.
Reduced Costs for Managing Products with Quality Issues (Estimated possible saving: 11%): Digital systems provide automated, paperless documentation of rejected products, facilitating compliance and reducing re-work when potential food safety hazards are identified promptly.
Reduced Audit and Compliance Management Costs (Estimated possible saving: Personnel costs: 35%, In fines – up to 100%): Continuous monitoring by digital systems leads to compliance-related data capture, streamlining the preparation of audit reports and minimising errors. This results in significant personnel cost savings and reduces the risk of fines.
The full calculations behind these examples can be found in Annex A, Mettler-Toledo Food Safety Digital Maturity Whitepaper. Intangible Value of Food Safety Digital Maturity
The digitalisation of food safety processes
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