Yearbook 2013/2014 - ehedg

European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group
Smart hygienic solutions for the food industry
Despite a stagnant economy, food and beverage companies intend to increase investments
into developing new products and technologies to fuel business growth and improve revenues,
according to a recent survey by the global audit company KPMG. While investing in growth,
many companies remain focused on keeping costs low and efficiencies high, while at the same
time emphasising compliance with food safety standards and global regulatory mandates. This
article describes continuing food safety threats and the food industry’s motivation to incorporate
smart hygienic solutions to overcome these challenges.
Peter Uttrup, Interroll España S.A., Barcelona, Spain, phone +34 677 462 788, e-mail: p.uttrup@interroll.com
and Lorenz G. Koehler, Interroll (Schweiz) AG, Sant’Antonino, Switzerland, phone: +41 91 850 25 21,
e-mail: l.koehler@interroll.com, www.interroll.com
Proactive risk management is the key to success in today’s
economically challenging global market. For businesses
in the food supply chain, this means keeping abreast of
changes in the global regulatory environment, especially new
food safety and hygiene standards and laws, and investing
in business strategies and technologies that reduce risk to
the company’s brand reputation and financial health. Some
of the risks that remain high on the list of concern for the food
sector are foodborne illness outbreaks, food product recalls,
and quality control gaps in manufacturing facilities and other
points along the supply chain.
Foodborne illnesses – a constant threat
A foodborne disease is any illness resulting from the
consumption of food that is contaminated by pathogenic
bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical agents. Foodborne
diseases pose a growing threat to public health worldwide.
The most common effect of foodborne diseases takes the
form of gastrointestinal symptoms, but such diseases can
also lead to chronic, life-threatening conditions including
neurological or immunological disorders, multi-organ
failure, cancer and death. Recent global developments are
increasingly challenging international health security. These
developments include the growing industrialisation and trade
of food production and the emergence of new or antibioticresistant
pathogens.
Although we do not currently have an exact figure of the global
economic impact of foodborne diseases on societies, businesses
and trade, the latest estimations project the costs in hundreds
of billions of U.S dollars. Some of the most significant estimates
include:
• The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) estimates that there are roughly 48 million
cases, 3,000 deaths, and 128,000 hospitalisations from
foodborne pathogens each year in the United States
alone. Children, the elderly, pregnant and post-partum
women and individuals with compromised immune
systems are at highest risk of developing complications
from foodborne illness.
• A new study by a former U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) economist estimates the total
economic impact of foodborne illness across the U.S.
to be a combined $152 billion annually.
• According to the CDC, in industrialised countries, the
percentage of the population suffering from foodborne
diseases each year has been reported to be up to 30%.
• Thirty-one (31) known pathogens are responsible
for 9.4 million illnesses (20% of the total), 55,961
annual hospitalisations (44% of the total) and 1,351
deaths (44% of the total), according to CDC data.
The remaining unknown/unspecified pathogens are
responsible for 38.4 million illnesses (80% of the total),
71,878 annual hospitalisations (56% of the total) and
1,686 deaths (56% of the total).
These statistics illustrate why companies throughout the
food sector continue to invest in food safety and hygiene
technologies and systems that will effectively mitigate
potential risks of foodborne illness associated with their
products.
Food recall risks
Food sector companies also are increasing their vigilance
in monitoring the quality and safety of foods they place on
market shelves to avoid costly product recalls. A food recall
occurs when there is reason to believe that a food may
cause consumers to become ill. A food manufacturer or
distributor initiates the recall to take foods off the market. In
some situations, food recalls are requested by government
agencies. A food recall can cost millions and is potentially
fatal to a business. Public perception and attitudes toward a
company’s products can be negatively affected by bacteriarelated
recalls that make the headlines.
Risk reduction technologies
As a consequence of these challenges, one can expect
further pressure on food manufacturers to improve quality
control in the coming years. Risk management and reduction
is the foundation of better food safety practices. To help
food manufacturers all over the world comply with the strict
national and international regulations in terms of hygiene
in their material handling processes, many equipment
manufacturers and component makers are investing their
expertise into creating innovative hygienically designed
products to assist industry with improving quality control
measures to reduce contamination risks.