Given the increasing pressures on the global food system to produce more from the planet’s diminishing resources, the need to produce food that is safe to consume and reflects the information declared on pack is becoming ever more difficult to achieve as shown by the recent ‘horsemeat’ scandal. The salutary lesson that emerged from this latest food scandal was the vulnerability of the highly complex food supply networks that we rely on. For example, the wafers in the popular KitKat are ‘glued’ together with plaster-of-Paris which is sourced from India.
These convoluted food networks increase the potential for product contamination through either physical, chemical or microbial means, with potentially life threatening consequences. Recent issues include the 2005 Sudan Red dye scandal, in which food products were contaminated with the potentially carcinogenic dye, and the 2013 worldwide recall of dairy products manufactured by Fonterra, because whey products suspected of being contaminated with botulism-causing bacteria were found during safety tests. It is important to remain vigilant in identifying and solving emerging challenges in global food networks to ensure a high level of consumer trust in the supply chain and food sold for consumption
