Food safety concerns have existed for as long as humans have been eating and drinking, but only in the last few decades has the industry seen such a monumental transformation of efforts to protect the public from unsafe products. Food safety has its focus on reducing the risk of unintentional contamination in the food supply, be it natural, accidental, a result of negligence or violation of food safety principles due to technical ignorance. That’s why food safety technology has become as critical to manufacturers as the ingredients they use to produce goods. Without it, no company is equipped to deliver safe food products, meet stringent government regulations and uphold the kind of positive brand reputation that’s required for business success.
Consumers want visibility into the handling of their foods, and the government demands transparency into contamination prevention and remediation efforts. Therefore, traceability in the supply chain is paramount. Speaking of transparency and visibility, some of the newest advancements in food safety have to do with technology designed to improve the packaging of foods. For instance, QR codes are giving consumers the ability to scan and link to web pages with detailed information on everything from the field in which their food was harvested to the final stages of packaging and labeling. IoT devices and connected technologies like wireless temperature sensors, video cameras, and automated data management systems have forged a path to predictive analytics. Every opportunity for connectivity and communication presents a critical, valuable data point that can be leveraged to implement more proactive measures for food safety. The compelling use-case for blockchain technology is that it gives organizations the ability to record and secure arbitrary and disparate kinds of data. Food safety is poised to benefit from this new method of data management. The rise of the industrial internet of things has helped prompt widespread innovation in sensor technologies that accurately and consistently capture and communicate data. Advances in networking, storage, and processing have created a mass market for sensors delivering real-time data from across the food supply chain.
Technology is elevating food safety practices and protocols and will help reduce or eliminate food safety incidents and outbreaks in the future. Technological solutions enhance food safety protocols and make it faster, more accurate, and more efficient to conduct inventory, auditing, training and keep food safe. However, a major challenge will be getting food businesses to adopt these tech tools. Often, food business owners are worried about the cost and implementation of tech solutions, fearing that they’ll be too expensive and/or complex for them to manage. The expense, time and energy necessary to implement—or elevate—an organization’s food safety protocols won’t be overwhelming, and it’s crucial to a business’ success. Investing in technology is something that all food businesses should do to help boost the health and safety of their establishments.
To assist CIOs in identifying the most reliable companies to partner with, a distinguished panel consisting of CEOs, CIOs, analysts, and Food and Beverages Tech Review ’s editorial board has assessed and shortlisted some of the most prominent organizations in the industry. We present to you – “Top 10 Food Safety Tech Solution Providers – 2019”.
