FEATURE Smart factories & AI
Key steps in digital food safety
Ian Scott-Mance, Technology Manager at Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection, describes the processes that food manufacturers should go through to digitise processes and procedures for food safety
T
he signs are clear: digital food safety can no longer be put on the back burner. Initiatives such as “New Era of Smarter Food Safety” by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and “Race to the Top” by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) make it clear that the topic of digital track & trace in the food industry is gaining importance. Full traceability is already a prerequisite for certain products to access some Asian markets, and countries like Australia are also very proactive in promoting relevant food safety initiatives.
In addition, manufacturers are also
increasingly being confronted by the big players in the food retail sector imposing stricter requirements for farm-to-fork traceability, which must be embedded in digital supply chain management. In response, food manufacturers must begin focusing on data collection, which is the essential starting point for any project that seeks to improve food safety through greater traceability. The great news is this can also aid other digitalisation initiatives that the manufacturer may be working on. For example, the collection, analysis and digital availability of food safety data can also help to optimise the efficiency of production processes. Digital food safety is a process in itself, and here are the key steps to take: Step 1: Conduct an audit of data being collected and current food safety processes
The efficient collection of data is a basic
requirement so that it can then be made available across the entire supply chain, in an accessible, i.e. digital, form. Therefore, a comprehensive audit must be carried out to determine the current data status. Many of the required food safety data and processes should already be available in the company and should be well documented, as they should already have been determined in the context of food safety certifications.
Nevertheless, the audit usually proves to be a challenging task. A look into practice today reveals a highly fragmented picture of how audit data relevant to food safety is recorded, collected and stored in
36 October 2024 | Automation
the process flows of manufacturers. It is common to find that this data is already highly networked in part, but it is also often still gathered using tools such as USB sticks, or manually with pen and paper. From a technological point of view, the complexity is demanding, as the systems on the shop floor are of different ages and use a wide variety of protocols, network infrastructures and management processes.
Manufacturers are therefore faced with the challenge of migrating a colourful hodgepodge of hardware and software into a unified digital food safety program. Global standards and communication protocols, uniform ID coding and standardised transformation events can reduce the level of complexity. The more carefully the homework is done in the management of information, the more it pays off in the medium and long term, both for a smooth and cost- efficient migration to digital food safety, and as an enabler for further digitisation initiatives.
Step 2: Develop your digitalisation strategy
The key strategic questions are, which specific applications need to be mapped, and what are the company’s long-term digitisation goals? Are we seeking merely regulatory and market compliance with minimal effort, should the now digitally- available data also be used to optimise the production processes, or should we be aiming for a profound and sustainable
digital transformation of the company with a view to IoT and Industry 4.0? Each of these scenarios requires a different plan, schedule, and capital cost, with a different outcome. In this phase of strategic development, it is advisable to talk to suppliers and manufacturers of the systems installed on the shop floor at an early stage. The digitisation of food safety does not mean a complete system replacement as a rule. A simple device upgrade or the purchase of a software option are often sufficient.
Step 3: Secure and build up expertise All internal and external stakeholders
relevant to digital food safety who participate in the process must be identified. It is important to determine which knowledge and know-how is available and where it is. In addition to your own company, a corresponding assessment and evaluation must also be carried out for all partners in the network.
Step 4: Institutionalise change management The digitisation of food safety is a process that entails organisational changes in work practices and affects the interests of a wide variety of departments in the company. The cultural change associated with this transformation process must be managed proactively and carefully. It is advisable to put together a multi-stakeholder group that works out the advantages of digitisation, but also formulates common reservations and concerns.
CONTACT:
Mettler-Toledo
www.mt.com/prodx-pr
automationmagazine.co.uk
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