Well, as a person who spends the majority of his life understanding how the producers work and control their product's quality, the answer is probably not. Most quality departments rule in food processing companies and they continue to carry out endless checks on quality and internally audit their systems to ensure they have the necessary controls in place. All of which add to the cost of production and ultimately the price we pay for our food.
Food scares however still happen. In the UK alone last year there were 181 food alerts issued by the Food Standards Agency. My personal concern is not so much over the fact they will inevitably happen, but over how long it takes to provide the necessary traceability information, so that a faulty product can be removed before it affects the health of the consumer. Having critical information instantly available should be a basic right for the consumer.
In my next blog post, I will look at what can be done to improve traceability in food production.
The Impact of Paper Records on a Consumer
[Following on from The Impact of Paper Records on a Retailer]
For the consumer it's relatively simple. Shoppers continue to scrutinize products based mostly on their fat, salt and sugar content. They rarely concern themselves about the risks of food safety until it affects them personally. Should they be worried?
Posted by Duncan Moir, Senior Principal Product Manager, Epicor