Playing it safe

Safety with Raimund C. Hoenes of Glanbia Nutritionials, Charles Deibel of Deibel Laboratories, Inc., Christian Jansen of Hunter Associates Laboratory, Inc., Zoe Grosser of PerkinElmer, Franz Rappold of Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG and Jan Grøndal of Einar Willumsen.

What are the implications for food producers who fail to take sufficient care of safety issues?

Raimund C. Hoenes. Recent food scandals have shown that there is still a lack of knowledge regarding food safety within the worldwide food and nutrition industries. Some players in the industry may be motivated merely by achieving high levels of profit and therefore show an alarmingly low level of business ethics as a result. The economic downturn has caused additional victims as many companies are under intense pressure to reduce their costs in order to remain profitable. Compromising on food safety is a simple and immediate way to reduce the overheads. However, the consequences that can and most certainly will come with it over time are immense. A food producer that is exposed for delivering poor quality products runs the risk of permanently damaging his reputation. To recover from a damaged reputation is a difficult task in any industry, but in the food and nutrition industries in particular, it is an undertaking deemed near impossible.

Charles Deibel. The largest issue is the potential for the product to get into commerce and potentially hurt consumers. Testing at all stages of production from ingredients to finished products, as well as environmental samples and correct nutritional labelling, can all be considered a form of 'brand insurance'. Those companies that do not protect their brand may not have a brand to protect in the event of a recall or loss of consumer trust. To provide financial protection and brand protection, many companies now use external labs to monitor their in-house labs and some test exclusively using external labs. This is one way to off-load the risk of testing.

Franz Rappold. Food Safety is not only the most essential topic for a food producer but for the whole supply chain including the packaging angle. Mayr-MelnHof, representing one of the packaging materials most largely in demand - carton board - takes that task incredibly seriously. As market leader in Europe we constantly monitor our products in our own excellently equipped laboratories as well as carry out external assessments by independent institutions (i.e. ISEGA) and continuously improve all processes and procedures at our production sites and within the chain of custody. Established standards are controlled and measured by quality management systems such as ISO 9001 and hygiene management systems, EN 15593 and INREKA-HACCP-Standard as well as chain of custody systems, like FSC&PEFC. Risk management and the root-cause analysis are an essential part of our management systems and ensure a save production of board and packaging for food applications. Thus we have built up a strong reputation for reliable food safety within the industry.

Christian Jansen. Appearance measurement techniques can be used to indicate safety. However by the time the problem is visible to the human eye it is already too big a problem. By the time the eye or an instrument can see the hazard it is already beyond safe consumption levels. There is also a connection between appearance and quality. It is unacceptable for a customer to notice a difference when comparing two of the same product as he or she will think the difference is caused by poor quality. It may or may not be considered a safety issue but it could well be interpreted as contamination or a mistake during production. For example a pale tomato sauce may indicate a lack of flavour while a brownish tomato sauce may indicate too much processing or contamination from the container. More serious concerns come from medical products where customers may consider this a problem with active ingredients for the medicine. Another example is peanuts, as they are roasted to a high temperature to ensure removal of Salmonella bacteria. If the product is heated too high or stays in the oven too long then the nut will appear far too dark for customer expectation and have a burnt taste. So here you can see colour can be used as an early control to ensure processing is correct and consistent.

Jan Grøndal. Food safety is the most important issue for any food producer or food ingredient supplier. It is core to our industry that consumers are safe when consuming the finished food and beverage. This requires the highest food safety standards in the complete supply chain. If food producers fail to take sufficient care of safety issues - either due to inadequate internal procedures or due to lack of control over the supply chain - the impact is huge. Consumers' health and wellbeing is at stake, as is the reputation of the business. We have seen time and again that it takes many good examples to compensate for one bad. Any failure to comply in this area will eventually affect the whole food business.

Zoe Grosser. As public concern and the global understanding of human health issues associated with food safety and quality continues to increase, food producers that fail to take sufficient care of safety issues will increasingly get more and more public exposure. This may result in recalls, fines and other unwanted publicity and government regulations will be tightened. The ultimate negative impact could be damaging to their brand name, which will result in longer-term business effects.


How have pressures, challenges or aims within the industry changed the needs of companies when it comes to food safety?

ZG. Globalization of economies, increasing competition and increased population and affluence in developing countries has caused the world to become smaller and this global nature of business also extends to food. As the import and export of foods increases and ingredient suppliers can potentially be located several time zones away, it is becoming more difficult to comprehensively inspect suppliers therefore testing and traceability of ingredients has become an increasingly important issue. In addition, the appearance of adulterants previously unknown, such as melamine in infant formula, puts increasing pressure and stress on existing processes and systems for food safety. As an example, approximately 80% of the fish and shellfish consumed in the US are imported. Approximately 30% of the fruit and nuts are imported. So food is not being produced and eaten in the same place. Different local regulations on pesticides, soil cleanliness, antibiotic use, and other factors may potentially affect the quality of food delivered to the consuming country, especially when examined in light of the destination country regulations.

JG. Nowadays there is much more awareness about food safety than before. Due to the international free flow of information, an incident anywhere in the world will immediately have global implications. Therefore any supplier in the food supply chain must be fully updated on any rising (or potentially) rising food safety issues within their respective sphere of interest and be prepared to act appropriately.

CJ. If a brand cannot control the consistent appearance of its product then why would customers think they are able to produce a safe product? Quality is quality. If it is poor in one area than most likely it is poor in other areas. People see the product first with their eyes. The very first judgment they make is visual. The colour of food can cause someone to become excited with anticipation or push a plate of food away. Colour is a determining factor in whether we pick one fruit or vegetable over another, just as taste is. For these reasons, measuring the colour of food is essential for a manufacturer to provide a product that a consumer will see as desirable even before they taste or smell it. Manufacturers are concerned with effects of pasteurization, freezing and shelf life on the colour of foods and have developed additives to preserve food colour such as acid solutions for fruits and sodium benzoate. Colours themselves such as tartrazine and azorubine are added to increase the natural colour of a food and make it more palatable to the human eye. Because customers are able to detect slight differences in colour in food and in packaging, accurate measurement of the desired colour for a manufacturer is critical to their sales and profits.

RH. There are many challenges facing a company, particularly financial pressures in times of economic turmoil. In an ideal case, nothing should ever influence food safety, no matter what. Unfortunately this is not the case, as we all know just too well.

In times of an economic downturn it is even more important to have sophisticated and effective quality systems in place. It is vital to never compromise the standards and aims that were once set. Businesses are forced to react to pressures and challenges, but quality and therefore food safety should be maintained at all times. Customers will notice a shift in quality standards. Though they may put their suppliers under pressure to lower prices, it is of tremendous importance to show the value of quality. We see quality and safety playing a larger role than ever before. When many companies are inclined to take a step back when facing tough times, it becomes the ultimate opportunity to further strengthen your market position and reputation. This can be achieved by continuously supplying premium quality products, thus ensuring a high level of food safety.

FR. Saving packaging is a permanent focus. The change over time however relates particularly to the fact that measurement devices are swiftly improving allowing to measure in smaller scales. 5 years ago we measured concentrations in ppm (1ppm=1mg/kg) now we are talking about ppb (1ppb=0,001mg/kg). Therefore MM scientists are equipped with instruments of the latest technology to secure that all our products completely fulfil the legal requirements and standards as well as to support governmental and EU authorities with analysis and know-how for their future decisions.

CD. Most companies are sourcing higher end technologies to speed the time of the production process, while still maintaining a highly accurate assay. The need to get results quickly, in order to increase profit for short dated products or eliminate storage costs when warehouse space is limited, has increased interest in technology with fast turn-around-times. The US industry in particular is in a state of overhauling its food safety programs, with companies performing process validations, as well as increasing surveillance testing on in-coming raw commodities. Many EU companies that have clients in the US are forced to follow these new initiatives as well.

How can your solutions and expertise help food producers to ensure that their products meet the high standards demanded by consumers and regulators?

CD. We offer a complete solution towards Food Safety products from testing to consulting (audits, validations, training and special projects). Our labs, including our new European operation in Milan, Italy, offer a full testing solution for microbiological and chemical testing as well as expertise in consulting services. Dr. Deibel was one of the founding fathers of HACCP back in the early 1970's with its roots in a prevention based approach to food safety. The work that we do with our clients is to encourage more prevention based initiatives and testing programs rather than a reactive strategy, such as finished product testing alone.

FR. MM's quality management covers the entire value chain, from raw material for carton board production to product checks on the point of sale. All raw and process materials must pass our strict internal quality procedures in line with all regulatory recommendations, i.e. the recommendation XXXVI of the German "BfR".

Our state-of-the art production facilities are configured with online measurement devices. Together with the laboratory tests, dozen of parameters are matched in our quality computer security system to ensure that all our products comply with the provisions of valid regulations, i.e. No.1935/2004 of the European Parliament and the council of 27.10.2004 concerning materials and articles for food contact. Additional traceability is key for us and therefore we keep samples of our products including all measured parameters for more than two years. Beyond that, many multinational FMCG companies rely on our expertise for food safety analysis of their product packaging.

On the basis of this comprehensive and constant quality checks we are able to issue a statement of applicability to all our products intended to be brought into contact with food. We can offer the broadest range of different carton board qualities for all kind of food applications and always evaluate the whole packaging against the specific demands of the packed food to recommend the most appropriate carton board based on virgin fibre or recycled fibre. Furthermore all our mills and printing plants producing for the food industry are HACCP certified.

JG. Einar Willumsen have decided to go all the way to ensure our products meet the highest food safety standards. This means we have decided to implement a fully automated traceability system in our factories to allow the fastest possible reaction in the event of an incident. Furthermore Einar Willumsen have decided to implement a fully automated technical documentation system in order to ensure our customers the fastest possible access to any technical information on the flavours and compounds we supply that they may require. Manual traceability and technical documentation will certainly meet the formal requirements of the regulators, but automated systems are so much quicker. And if an incident should occur, fast and appropriate reaction is crucial.

RH. At the core of our business is a proven and stringent quality system. We apply a whole range of quality standards to ensure peace of mind for our customers - amongst them; ISO 9001:2008, ISO 22000, IFS (International Food Standard), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices). Our quality system supports us in our efforts to continuously improve the high standard of our products - even under the toughest economic environment. Being an established business in the industry allows us to draw on our vast experience and make use of our established relationships with producers and suppliers to ensure that our customers get safe products. Everything from the purchasing to manufacture through to the packaging is considered to ensure that the products meet the high standards demanded by consumers and regulators. We have supplier audit programs in place and apply extensive testing regimes to incoming goods as well as our finished products. This provides our customers the guarantee that the very sensitive micronutrient premixes they receive from us, which provide the nutritional functionality in their products, are safe to use and in full compliance with the specifications agreed.

ZG. PerkinElmer is a global company focused on improving the health and safety of people and their environment. We are focused on the important outcomes that our technologies make possible such as a safe and sustainable food supply chain. We are a leader in development and production of analytical solutions (instruments, consumables, software, applications and services) used in detecting contamination and adulterants in food, beverages, flavors, and agriculture. For example, our Clarus® GC/MS can be used to detect organic contamination in food, such as melamine in milk. Inorganic techniques such as our NexION^TM ICP-MS family can be used to evaluate metal contamination in food. Several situations seen in the last few years such as lead in imported grape juice and arsenic in domestic baby juice can be measured with this technology.

Food and beverage producers face the challenge of meeting safety and increasing tighter quality standards while reducing costs to meet the challenges of global competition. Manual entry of chemical analysis data is labor intensive and creates the potential for typographical errors. Implementation of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) that interface with laboratory instrumentation, such as our LABWORKS foodLIMS^TM, can effectively increase organizational productivity and data quality in food labs.

CJ. Food products are tremendously varied and best practice requires a measurement approach that works for each type of product. Different food products require different instruments. You do not use the same technique to measure liquids as cookies or nuts. HunterLab has been in the business of colour and appearance measurement for over 57 years. Our very first commercial instrument was used to measure Crisco for Procter & Gamble. Since that time we have developed an array of colour instruments for portable, desktop, and on line measurement of food products. This broad range coupled with our many years of applied experience with food products makes us the industry leader in this area.


What role does research and development play in your business? Can you describe any recent innovations in your product lines?

ZG. Research and development are critically important in instrument development. New technology and new computer capabilities both contribute to what might be possible in the future. Customers demand instruments that are easier to use, take up less space, and cost less. Regulatory agencies demand lower detection limits and instruments that are less expensive to run, making tax dollars go further. The most recent PerkinElmer instrument introduction is the NexION^TM 300 ICP-MS for trace metal analysis. We talked to customers before starting the project to ensure their perspective was incorporated to the fullest extent possible. The instrument is smaller, highly stable and incorporates a choice of interference correction techniques to ensure accurate results. Customers interested in the analysis of food can be highly productive using this technology for semi-quantitative or quantitative metals analysis.

FR. Research and development plays a vital part in MM's strategy. Combined with our long-term experience, financial solidity and the partnerships with successful customers we are confident to continue strengthening our leadership position. For example, the findings of our most recent in-depth trials of unprinted and printed folding boxes resulted in the use of only "low migration inks" for packaging with direct food contact. The effect of migrants coming from carton board - regardless if recovered or virgin fibre based - is small. Nearly all migrants originate from ink, varnish and glue with clear differences detectable on the type of ink. The cooperation with all suppliers enables ongoing improvements of raw and process materials and technologies.

Carton board - regardless if recovered or virgin fibre based - provides the end consumer with packaging that is safe and compliant with food regulations. Furthermore carton board is the most environmentally friendly packaging, recyclable and biodegradable, made from renewable or even recycled sources. In addition, carton board has some of the lowest CO2 emission values of all packaging materials, throughout the entire value-added chain.

JG. The flavour business is innovation driven. The soul of most food and beverage products is the flavour. A recent survey made in Denmark (made for the Danish Flavour Organisation) revealed that more than 70% of the consumers rated flavour as the most important characteristic of a food & beverage product. That is the reason why the development of the right flavour of a new food and beverage product is the key to success in many cases. Getting the taste right and doing it fast is key to success in the flavour business. There is a limit to how many brand new tastes can be invented but flavour innovation involves new combinations of tastes and modification of already existing tastes. As an example, Einar Willumsen have launched a range of South African inspired flavours to be used in food and beverages. This range includes new existing taste combinations not commonly seen in industrial food and beverages. Another example is our new range of vanilla flavours or our new range of pure tasting natural tea extracts, which offer the possibility to develop new delicious food and beverages. Innovation is part of the daily routine in a world where speed and taste matter more than anything else.

CJ. HunterLab increased its efforts in research and development over the past years. The variety of applications has driven us to develop systems designed for specific applications. Especially circumferential 45°/0° measurement geometry was further optimized since it is the ideal geometry for colour measurement in food, especially when doing readings in glass containers (or polycarbonate as an alternative).

The D25LT colorimeter's large viewing area of 95mm is optimized for measuring the colour of coarse, non-homogeneous and irregularly shaped products. It can be used in the food industry to measure samples such as cookies, crackers, chips, beans, spices or pasta. A brand new development is the SpectraTrend HT, an online non-contact colour and height measurement system providing full spectral information in the visible range and using long life LED light source.

CD. Deibel Labs in Gainsville, Florida is designated the Special Projects lab and much of our R&D is performed at this location. The Technical Services Director, Dr Steven Goodfellow, has over 40 years of experience in Food Microbiology, Food Safety and Microbiological Pathogens, Sanitation, HACCP, TQC/TQM, Food Processing and Plant Management. Even though a test kit may get AFNOR, ISO or AOAC approval, it is still possible that the technology may not be the best for a given product line. We perform "Method Performance Qualifications" for our clients to help them source the best rapid or cultural assays for their product lines. Due to the large numbers of tests performed at Deibel labs, on many occasions, we have seen trending prior to the manufacture of the kit. This early identification of trends has allowed us to not only make adjustments quickly to limit the impact on our clients but also to notify the manufacturer so they can limit the impact on other users.

RH. In the global fortification business it is of utmost significance to be on the forefront in the exploration of science and the dynamics that drive the nutrition industry. In order to defend our market position, we constantly search for new product ideas and innovative raw materials. The provision of micronutrient premixes that add a competitive edge to our customers' end-product will ensure that they can stay ahead of their competitors - which in turn secures our position in the market and ultimately ensures the survival of our business. We operate in a fast-moving industry. Consequently, it is imperative that we are on top of all trends and innovations that occur.

The Panel

Charles Deibel is President of Deibel Laboratories, Inc., an internationally-recognised firm providing food and product safety testing, quality control evaluations, scientific consulting and training for industry leading food manufacturers, as well as family run operations.

Christian Jansen joined Hunter Associates Laboratory, Inc. in 2004 as the European Sales Manager, responsible for sales channel development, expanding the service and support network and key customer contact. He studied business administration and entrepreneurial finance at the TUM Business School in Munich.

Zoe Grosser, Ph.D. is Director, Food and Environmental Markets for the Analytical Science Division of PerkinElmer. She has been with PerkinElmer for more than 20 years, holding a variety of marketing, product development, and product support roles through the years.

Raimund C. Hoenes is the CEO of Glanbia Nutritionials Customized Premix Solutions unit, which provides micronutrient premixes to the food, beverage and supplement industries and operates four strategically located plants on three continents. He has 15 years of industry experience and held positions in Europe, the US and Mexico focused on business growth. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. of the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Franz Rappold is a Member of the Management Board of Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG with a dedicated responsibility for all sales activities of the Group cartonboard segment, MM Karton. He is president of Cepi Carton Brussels (Confederation of European Paper Industry) and Member of VDP/VMK - Germany (Paper + Cartonboard Association).

Jan Grøndal has an MBA from AVT Business School, an M.Sc in Food Science and a Ph.D in Food Chemistry and Food Technology. In 2008 he was appointed CEO for the flavour company Einar Willumsen. Prior to his current position he held various positions within Carlsberg, Lundbeck, Aqualon, Hercules Inc, CP Kelco ApS and Einar Willumsen. Dr. Grøndal is chairman for the Danish Flavour Organisation and a member of the IFT and several other professional organisations.