SafetyChain Blog

The food and beverage industry has been modernized by technology in recent years, but among the most groundbreaking developments of all is blockchain recall traceability. This powerful form of distributed ledger technology makes it possible for food and beverage companies to digitize the full scope of their program data for enhanced traceability, and ultimately, better results. Here are a few need-to-know facts about the newest breed of solutions for the food industry.

Effective food supplier management is a resource-intensive endeavor for food and beverage companies. Ensuring your suppliers are aligning with the food safety regulations and customer requirements your facility must follow is no easy task. While manufacturers and processors have historically relied on offline systems to oversee vendor management, many are finding that web-based tools can transform their processes to drive efficiency and compliance.

Food fraud is the intentional, economically-motivated adulteration of food. It encompasses the sale of food which is unfit and possibly harmful, as well as deliberate mislabeling of food. Having strategies in place for mitigating food fraud is essential for developing an all-encompassing food safety plan. Here are a few key tips for minimizing the risks of fraud in your facility.

Blog post courtesy of Roger Woehl, Chief Technology Officer, SafetyChain Software.

Many of the food safety and quality issues that eat away the bottom line of food production are found in the "Long Tail" of data collection and assessment.

In the last thirty years, huge progress has been made in the speed at which data can be automatically collected and analyzed. This is true in the food industry where high volumes of food quality, safety, and operational data is collected every few milliseconds, seconds, or minutes.

While there many are ever-changing factors influencing the future of the food and beverage industry, one thing is certain: no matter how consumer needs and preferences shift, food production analytics will be at the forefront of business success. Companies that have implemented these powerful tools are already seeing positive changes across a number of key performance areas. Here, we take a look at some of the most significant ways analytics can create game-changing results.

Risk is an inherent aspect of owning and operating a business, but it is especially complex in the food and beverage industry. From disruptions in the supply chain to food contamination, there are many things that can go wrong. Risk management for food is an all-encompassing endeavor. Although it may be challenging, it isn’t impossible to achieve. Here are four key considerations for minimizing risks in your facility.

Food safety is the practice of minimizing the risk of food-borne disease outbreak or similar illnesses through specific handling, preparation, and storing activities. It encompasses a broad set of rules and routines that are implemented to reduce health hazards. In the food and beverage industry, food safety activities span far and wide, impacting the supply chain all the way from food’s origin points to where it reaches the final consumer. Practices could encompass food labeling, hygiene, management of import and export inspection, among others.

Quality assurance plays an important role in any industry. It helps companies consistently deliver safe and consistent products to end users, and is therefore essential to business performance. For the food and beverage industry in particular, a commitment to quality is a paramount area of focus, as their end users directly consume the goods and products they produce and package. Of course, there are also various levels of the supply chain in between, and overlooking quality at any one of these steps could compromise an organization's brand reputation and customer relationships.

Blog post courtesy of Eric Hansen, Director of Technical Solutions, SafetyChain Software.

We at SafetyChain are often asked by participants in the food industry how we can help them leverage, make sense of, or progress toward the blockchain. The answer is simple—before any organization can leverage the blockchain, their key records and documents must be digitized.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires food manufacturers and processors to have specific measures in place for protecting against acts of intentional adulteration (IA). FSMA food defense specifically aims to protect against acts that could cause wide-scale harm to the public, which may include acts of terrorism. To ensure your facility’s food defense plan is FSMA-compliant, be sure it encompasses the following five goals.