World Food Safety: a shared commitment | Tropical Food Machinery

World Food Safety Day: a shared commitment

Every year, foodborne illnesses caused by contaminated food affect millions of people worldwide. In this context, ensuring food safety is a public health priority and a fundamental responsibility of the food processing industry.

June 7th is World Food Safety Day, promoted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise awareness of the importance of ensuring safe food availability and fight contaminated food-related illnesses. The latest WHO estimates show that these diseases still pose a widespread threat to various populations, with a total of 600 million cases globally each year.

To improve the current situation, the call to action is addressed to everyone: governments, research and education institutions, companies, and individuals. In this regard, the food processing industries have a crucial role, with the responsibility of applying and disseminating safety standards that are not only increasingly required by law in various countries, but also contribute to the distribution of safe and shelf-stable foods.

We discussed these topics with Francesca Cavani, food technologist and project manager at Tropical Food Machinery:

Fresh fruits and vegetables are among the most perishable foods. What are the key processing stages required to obtain safe derived products?
“Heat treatments represent a set of fundamental steps in food processing: if the product is heated to a certain temperature for a certain time, it inactivates enzymes and deactivates microorganisms that could be harmful to the consumer. The treatment is applied both during the extraction phase and before aseptic filling: the results is food that remains sterile and can be stored for a long time, even at room temperature. By correctly calculating times and temperatures based on the fruit being processed, it is possible to achieve this result while maintaining the quality and organoleptic properties.”

Is heat treatment sufficient to ensure the safety of the processed product?
“There’s also the risk of microorganisms or toxic substances passing from the peel to the pulp of fresh fruit. This is the so-called “cross-contamination,” which can be avoided by pre-treating the fruit, followed by processing that thoroughly separates the pulp from unwanted particles. Our machines ensure that the peels are expelled at the very first stage of extraction, preventing them from coming into contact with the pulp destined for further processing. Plus, attention must be paid also to the safety of utilities, such as water and steam. In our case, by providing turn-key lines, we also handle the analysis and supply of all process Critical Control Points (CCPs).”

Are there any ongoing studies on new technologies to improve food safety?
“Heat treatment remains the primary method for enzymatic inactivation and microbiological deactivation. However, we are working on R&D projects for the application of alternative technologies to heat. Among these, cavitation is certainly a promising option. The extracted pulp is exposed to pulsed electric fields or ultrasounds, which rupture the cell membranes, allowing for the destruction of microorganisms and, at the same time, more effective pulp extraction, all without the use of high temperatures.”

Are there any international standards that must be followed regarding food safety?
“Various states and supranational institutions have enacted laws to ensure the safety of machinery used in the food industry. Here at Tropical Food Machinery, as an Italian company, we manufacture systems that comply with European Union Directives and Regulations: the materials used are certified, and the machine design allows for effective cleaning, preventing product buildup. Plus, since we primarily serve international customers, our machines are also compliant with the standards established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”

Is specific training required to build and operate machinery for the food industry?
“During the installation phase, we train the client company’s staff to use the system in complete safety, both for the operators and for the processed product.”

What are the future prospects for food safety?
“Without a doubt, research and technological innovation will continue to play a fundamental role. We constantly invest in increasing the automation of the process control and in the improvement of existing technologies. In this way, we ensure the highest quality for our customers and, at the same time, do our part as a company in the sector.”

In the pictures, some training sessions from Tropical Food Machinery operators to the Client’s staff.