Assessing Food Safety Risk in Global Supply Chain

Despite many attempts in the food safety risk assessment, there are a few studies and methods to cover the entire food supply chain. This study introduce a new model to perform the food risk assessment considering human factor along the entire food supply chain. The multi-discipline methodology of risk assessment tool, in combination of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) has been applied in order to assess high safety risk point along the entire supply chain of food products. The method has been validated through the application in a case studies of food production

Towards Effective Emerging Infectious Diseases Surveillance: Evidence from Kenya, Peru, Thailand, and the U.S.­‐Mexico Border

This paper examines the political economy of emerging infectious disease (EID) surveillance programs. It provides lessons learned for U.S. military medical research laboratories collaborating with developing countries and is comprised of four case studies: Kenya (U.S. Army Medical Research Unit-K or USAMRU-K), Peru (U.S. Naval Area Medical Research Unit-6 or NAMRU-6), Thailand (Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences or AFRIMS), and the U.S.-Mexico Border (Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance or EWIDS). The paper provides policy makers tools for improving the effectiveness of new or existing EID surveillance programs. Moreover, it offers host countries the opportunity to incorporate ideas, provide opinions, and debate the management of political and economic constraints facing their programs. Constraints are found for each case study and general recommendations are given for improving global emerging infectious disease surveillance across political, economic, and cultural dimensions. Recommendations: Involve local experts in EID surveillance; Support technology that facilitates communication (e.g. U.S.-Mexico); Develop projects in a way that benefits both parties (e.g. host country Principal Investigator instead of a foreign PI); Centralize health networks, and separate civilian and military sector influence in EID surveillance so functions do not overlap; To improve outcomes, use lessons from other regions that have experienced outbreaks

How logistics contribute to the complexity of global agri-food supply chains and thus to potential food safety risks

Die Globalisierung des Agrarhandels führt zu komplexen Lieferketten, was weitreichende Folgen für die Lebensmittelsicherheit haben kann. Entsprechende internationale Vorkommnisse stellen die zuständigen Behörden vor die Herausforderung, Risiken sachgemäß zu managen und zu bewerten. Bei der Analyse von aufgetretenen Problemfällen wurden erhebliche Wissenslücken hinsichtlich der Rolle der Logistik aufgedeckt. Um das Forschungsgebiet der globalen Warenströme abzubilden, wurde anhand einer qualitativen Textanalyse multidisziplinärer Literatur - angelehnt an den Grounded Theory-Ansatz - ein konzeptioneller Bezugsrahmen am Beispiel von Agrarrohstoffen entwickelt. Dieser diente als Grundlage für eine Fallstudie zur empirischen Untersuchung der potentiellen Kontamination von Agrarrohstoffen mit Mykotoxinen. Hierzu wurden Experteninterviews mit 24 Akteuren aus den Bereichen Logistik, Handel, Beschaffung und Richtlinien und Standards durchgeführt. Wir haben verschiedene Ebenen der wichtigsten Konzepte innerhalb (z.B. Logistikprozesse und Hauptakteure) und außerhalb (z.B. Globale Driver) der Warenströme von Agrarrohstoffen bestimmt. Mit Hilfe der Fallstudie konnten wir zudem kritische Dimensionen (z.B. Maßnahmen zur Lebensmittelsicherheit, menschlicher Faktor, Hafenmerkmale) und entsprechende kritische Faktoren für die Lebensmittelsicherheit und ihre Wechselbeziehungen identifizieren. Die Studie zeigt die Notwendigkeit integrativer und nachhaltiger Lösungen, wie die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Wirtschaftsakteuren, als auch mit Behörden, sowie politische Anreize, um z.B. mehr Transparenz und Sorgfalt im Qualitätsmanagement als auch Investitionen in neue Technologien (z. B. Blockchain) im Logistiksektor zu erreichen. Die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse sollten in bestehende und neue Instrumente, die zur Klärung internationaler Lebensmittelsicherheitsvorfälle oder in der Risikofrüherkennung eingesetzt werden und entsprechend der Dynamik des Sektors auf EU- und internationaler Ebene ständig aktualisiert und erweitert werden.The globalization of agricultural trade leads to complex supply chains, which can have far-reaching consequences for food safety. International food safety incidents are challenging competent authorities to assess and manage food safety risks appropriately. Analysis of respective occurrences revealed substantial knowledge gaps regarding the role of logistics. To map the research area of global commodity flows, a conceptual framework - using agricultural commodities as an example - was developed based on qualitative text analysis of multidisciplinary literature, inspired by the Grounded Theory approach. This served as the foundation for a case study to empirically investigate the potential contamination of agricultural commodities with mycotoxins. For such purpose, expert interviews were conducted with 24 stakeholders from logistics, trade, procurement, and regulations and standards. We identified different levels of key concepts within (e.g., logistics processes and key actors) and outside (e.g., global drivers) the commodity flows of agricultural commodities. The case study further allowed us to identify critical dimensions (e.g., food safety measures, human factor, port characteristics) and corresponding critical factors for food safety and their interrelationships. The study demonstrates the need for integrative and sustainable solutions, such as collaboration between economic actors, as well as with authorities, policy incentives, for example to achieve more transparency and diligence in quality management, as well as more investments in new technologies (e.g. blockchain) in the logistics sector. The knowledge gained calls to be integrated into existing and new tools used to verify and assess international food safety incidents or in early risk detection, and should constantly be updated and expanded according to the unfolding dynamics of the sector at EU and international levels

Connecting global priorities: biodiversity and human health: a state of knowledge review.

Healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems. They provide clean air, fresh water, medicines and food security. They also limit disease and stabilize the climate. But biodiversity loss is happening at unprecedented rates, impacting human health worldwide.The report, Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health, focuses on the complex and multi-faceted connections between biodiversity and human health, and how the loss of biodiversity and corresponding ecosystem services may negatively influence health. One of the first integrative reviews of its kind, the report brings together knowledge from several scientific disciplines, including public health, conservation, agriculture, epidemiology and development. The book is a joint publication of the Convention on Biological Diversity and World Health Organization. Danny Hunter, Senior Scientist, Bioversity International is one of the Lead Coordinating Authors of the book and co-lead author on two chapters:Chapter 5: Agricultural biodiversity and food security Chapter 6: Biodiversity and nutritio