On World Food Day, which takes place each year on October 16th, Fourtec focuses on two crucial aspects of our global food system: food loss and waste and food safety. These issues are intertwined, affecting both the quantity and quality of the food we produce and consume. Food safety is a multifaceted concern influenced by…
The US FDA’s final rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule) establishes traceability recordkeeping requirements beyond those in existing regulations for companies who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods included on the Food Traceability List (FTL). The new requirements identified in the final rule will allow for faster…
The world of food safety is comprehensive, combining different sets of rules, principles, and guidelines, all designed to limit the spread of foodborne illness and ensure sanitary conditions during storage and shipping. Food safety is affected by both internal and external factors. Food safety procedures and processes require temperature and humidity control at all stages…
One of our distributors was approached by a local florist shop that faces challenges regarding temperature and humidity monitoring. Flowers are delicate and require specific temperatures to ensure their freshness and longevity. Proper temperature monitoring is also crucial for small businesses that sell temperature and humidity-sensitive products such as flowers to maintain the quality and…
The finalization of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rule 204(d) is approaching fast, and it’s time to start preparing for the next execution phase. In November 2022, a key piece of FSMA will come into play for many manufacturers. Known as the Food Traceability Proposed Rule, the goal of 204 is to create visibility &…
Based on an article from The Los Angeles Times – Food poisoning and unsafe temperatures: Many meal kit companies aren’t FDA regulated The global meal kit delivery market is estimated to be USD 15.2 billion in 2021, and its annual expected growth rate is about 17% from 2022 to 2030. Meal delivery distribution is often processed by 3rd party carriers…
Medicine, meat, dairy, fish, ready meal kit, raw vegetables, flowers, and all goods that require temperature control have one thing in common; they all should be monitored during transport to ensure they are fresh and in usable condition. The challenge starts once your products leave your warehouse, field, or factory and travel to distant locations…
The US FDA set a new food traceability rule to become official starting November 2022, requiring suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers alike to capture numerous data points — Key Data Elements (KDEs) — for each item’s journey from end-to-end throughout the supply chain. As a key component of the update, the US FDA’s Food Traceability List (FTL) consists…
The World Bank, Food Security update (July 2022 ): Domestic food price inflation remains high around the world. Food price inflation exceeded overall inflation in 78.7% percent of the 160 countries for which food Consumer Price Index (CPI) is available. Ukraine’s war threatens poor countries with overlapping food and debt crises. 93.8 % of low-income countries, 89.1% of lower-middle-income countries, and 89% of upper-middle-income…
Handling food in a proper way is essential for keeping public health and shelf life. Both internal and external factors may affect a product’s safety and shelf life. The internal factors impacting products include the nature and quality of the raw materials, product formulation (including the use of preservatives), product structure (i.e., moisture and flavors…
