Food Safety Africa Sept/October 2021 Issue by FW Africa

FOOD SAFETY

AFRICA Magazine

COVER STORY

FOOD SAFETY CULTURE

INCULCATING FOOD SAFETY CULTURE IN FOOD BUSINESSES IN AFRICA

COMPANY PROFILE

OLIVADO LEADING THE PACK ON SUSTAINABLE AVOCADO PRODUCTS FOR INTERNATIONAL MARKETS EXECUTIVE INTERVIEWS

MATLOU SETATI CGCSA

VIVIAN OCHIENG Artcaffe Coffee & Bakery

HEMPSTONE OMONDI Kenafric Industries Ltd

OBIAGBOSO C. NWADLUTO

SECTOR FOCUS

FRESH PRODUCE

Olam Nigeria Ltd

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YEAR | ISSUE NO. 2 SEP/OCT YEAR 1 |1ISSUE NO. 1 JUNE/ JULY 2021

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SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

news digest #001

MALDI Biotyper® sirius and IR Biotyper® for industrial laboratories No doubt you have already heard about MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry? MALDI-TOF stands for MatrixAssisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight. Some of you may already be using MALDI-TOF for microbiology, others may not. No problem - in this first News Digest we would like to introduce you to our latest MALDI Biotyper® sirius platform for microbial identification! For sure, microbiological analyses can be diverse and colorful. You are familiar with microbial identification based on biochemical reactions, electrophoresis methods, PCR or Real-time PCR, sequencing, or radioanalytical methods? Take a chance to learn about our innovative unbiased fingerprinting solution using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for microbial identification. Subsequently, our IR Biotyper® system based on FT-IR spectroscopy will be shortly highlighted as a strain typing method which can seamlessly be combined with the MALDI Biotyper® sirius system.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

The Bruker MALDI Biotyper® can be used as a reliable rapid test method for hygiene monitoring, food and pharmaceutical quality control, pathogen detection, plus food safety related analytical questions. We also see the MALDI Biotyper® applied in environmental monitoring, control of pharmaceutical production strains, detection of animal or plant pathogens or water analysis. On top of that, plenty of research topics benefit from using the MALDI Biotyper®, such as projects on microbiomes, probiotics, beverages or new food – e.g. meat and milk alternatives are trendy and raise new questions in microbiology. Proteomic fingerprinting with the MALDI Biotyper® offers you identification of bacteria, yeast and molds in minutes, starting from colony material. The beauty of the method is that you can measure both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, yeast and molds, in parallel, in one run. No need for many assays or different reaction plates.

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Selection of colony of unknown microorganism from non-selective, selective or chromogenic agar

Preparation onto MALDI Biotarget 96 plate

96 samples from colony to identification in 30 minutes

Identification by pattern matching

Acquisition of MALDI-TOF profile spectrum

Basic principle: Cell material of gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria or yeast or mold is applied to a MALDI Biotarget 96 (96 sample positions), followed by adding a small droplet of “matrix” solution and air-drying. Once in the vacuum of the MALDI-TOF system, fast laser shots vaporize the sample’s proteins, which are then separated according to their mass during their flight through the flight tube, towards the detector, resulting in a very specific proteomic fingerprint mass spectrum of the microorganism. This fingerprint is then matched against the Bruker reference library of fingerprints, covering more than 3000 species.

Our MALDI-TOF instrument portfolio has grown over the years, and many of you may already be familiar with the microflex LT/SH or the MALDI Biotyper® smart. The new MALDI Biotyper® sirius series has recently been launched, addressing the abovementioned hygiene monitoring, quality and safety questions. With this new instrument platform, the whole procedure has become even faster, allowing low-, medium- and high-throughput sample processing, and is reliable and easy to use for all levels of sample numbers. The accompanying “fingerprint” reference library, covering more than 3000 species, can be used with the existing as well as with the new instruments, meaning that results are perfectly comparable throughout all MALDI Biotyper® systems. Additional good news is that we keep the performance wheel turning by an annual update of the reference library, increasing year after year the number of species covered by the method.

Complementary, our IR Biotyper® system allows sameday strain typing of colonies, based on FT-IR spectroscopy. The IR Biotyper®, for which recently a new software version has been launched, enables easy, fast and cost-effective microbial typing for real-time quality control and source tracking.

IR Biotyper®

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Bruker Scientific LLC Billerica, MA · USA Phone +1 (978) 663-3660

ms.sales.bdal@bruker.com - www.bruker.com/microbiology FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

The workflow is applicable for identification of hygiene and environmental species, starter cultures, microorganisms in ingredients, intermediate and semi-finished products or process water, of in-house strains, veterinary pathogens or pathogen confirmation in different food categories.

CONTENTS - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | YEAR 1 ISSUE 1. NO. 2

Executive Interview: Matlou Setati - Role of CGCSA In Boosting Food Safety In South Africa

Executive Interview:

Vivian Ochieng – Quality Assurance Manager – Artcaffe Coffee & Bakery

OLIVADO:

Leading the pack on sustainable growing, packaging and processing of avocadoes for international markets

Executive Interview:

Hempstone Omondi – Quality Assurance Team Leader, Kenafric Industries Ltd

Executive Interview:

Technology: Minebea Intec 4

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Obiagboso Chinenyenwa Nwadiuto – Plant Quality Assurance Manager - Olam Nigeria Ltd FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

FOOD

BUSINESS AFRICA.COM

2021 AWARDS CATEGORIES A. NEW PLANTS OF THE YEAR

GALA DINNER DECEMBER 3, 2021 NAIROBI, KENYA SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES BEGINS AUGUST 1, 2021

SUBMIT YOUR LATEST NEW PRODUCTS, NEW PLANTS & SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES. STAND A CHANCE OF WINNING THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS FOOD INDUSTRY AWARDS IN AFRICA!

B. NEW PRODUCTS INNOVATIONS OF THE YEAR 1. Dairy Products 2. Milling, Bakery & Snack Products 3. Beverages, Tea, Coffee & Other Hot Beverage Products 4. Fresh Produce, Meat, Poultry & Fish Products 5. Sugar & Confectionery Products 6. Animal Feed & Pet Food Products 7. Culinary & Condiments Products 8. New Product – Packaging Innovation 9. New Product - Ingredients Innovation 10. New Product - Nutrition Innovation C. SUSTAINABLILITY INITIATIVES OF THE YEAR 1. 2. 3. 4.

Renewable Energy Initiative Sustainable Water & Waste Initiative Covid-19 Response Initiative Sustainable Local Raw Materials Sourcing Initiative

D. SUPPLY CHAIN, LOGISTICS & E-COMMERCE COMPANIES OF THE YEAR 1. Food Delivery & E-Commerce Innovation 2. Supply Chain & Logistics Innovation E. FOOD INDUSTRY INVESTMENTS & DEALS OF THE YEAR

Send Sponsorship, entry and attendance queries to: TEL: +254 725 343 932; INFO@FWAFRICA.NET CONFIRMED SPONSORS

NEW THIS YEAR:

The New Plants of the Year & Sustainability Initiatives of the Year to be divided into Large Companies and Small & Medium Companies.

www.awards.foodbusinessafrica.com FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2021 | FOOD BUSINESS AFRICA

REGULARS 8 Opinion 10 News Updates: • AU on its way to establishing guidelines on GMO use • Milestone in frozen food industry as researchers develop new freezing method • Global Leaders Group on AMR caution on overuse of antimicrobial drugs in food system • Crown Flour Mill Ltd acquires FSSC 22000 certification • Tanzania green-lights EAC Sanitary & Phytosanitary Protocol

Year 1 | Issue 1 | No.2

20 Supplier News:

ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTION Jonah Sambai | Hellen Mucheru

• •

PerkinElmer debuts IndiScope for faster, precise milk analysis Endress+Hauser, Hahn-Schickard create joint venture to develop technology for fast molecular analyses

Cover Story:

Inculcating Food Safety Culture Across The Horeca Industry In Africa

Cover Story:

What is Food Safety Culture?

Cover Story:

Inculcation of Food Safety Culture in Africa’s Food businesses

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FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Francis Juma EDITORIAL Catherine Odhiambo

DESIGN & LAYOUT Clare Ngode CONTRIBUTOR Doreen Lugalia | Virginia Nyoro PUBLISHED BY: FW Africa P.O. Box 1874-00621, Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254 20 8155022, +254725 343932 Email: info@fwafrica.net Company Website: www.fwafrica.net

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SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Food Safety Africa is published 6 times a year by FW Africa. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission from the editor is prohibited. All information is published in good faith. While care is taken to prevent inaccuracies, the publishers accept no liability for any errors or omissions or for the consequences of any action taken on the basis of information published.

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PHYSICAL IN NAIROBI, KENYA & VIRTUAL ACROSS AFRICA & THE WORLD

JUNE /22-24 / 2022 IT IS NOT TOO EARLY TO START PLANNING FOR AFRICA’S NO. 1 FOOD SAFETY, QUALITY & COMPLIANCE CONFERENCE & EXPO The second edition of Africa Food Safety & Quality Summit - Africa’s premier international food safety, quality management and compliance conference and exhibition is set for June 2022 - after the ground breaking first edition, which debuted in July 2021. The Summit, which is held annually, is shaping up to be the best platform to learn new ways to tackle the unique food safety, quality, compliance and regulatory challenges that affect Africa from leading experts, consultants, researchers and thought leaders. With a wide scope that transcends agricultural production, food and animal feed processing, the hospitality, retail and food service industry, to institutional and other critical food and agro supply chains, the Africa Food Safety & Quality Summit is the most critical event for the public, private, academic, research and non-profit stakeholders in Africa and beyond. Start planning your journey to the second edition - as economies easen from the ravages of the Covid-19. It is never too early to begin preparations on how you can participate. . .

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OPINION

Why brutalising food vendors hits Africa’s growing cities where it hurts

By Danielle Resnick n January 2017, the Harare City Council in Zimbabwe accused informal food vendors of spreading typhoid. The council then attempted to confiscate, and destroy, all perishable food items that were being hawked in the central business district. Many vendors fought back, resulting in deadly clashes over a series of days in the opposition run capital city. Sadly, such violent treatment of workers in informal markets is all too common in African cities. Indeed, based on calculations from the Armed Conflict and Location Event Database, such treatment dramatically increased over the past decade. In 2015, there were more than 250 incidents of violence against informal workers in Africa reported in the media, a more than fourfold increase since 2005. Other examples of these so-called cleanup operations were carried out in Malawi in 2006 and 2015, in Nigeria in 2009, in South Africa in 2013, and in Zambia in 2007 and 2015. These represent just a few examples of concerted “decongestion” efforts to push informal traders off the streets. These campaigns typically involve authorities arresting and fining informal vendors. But they extend to confiscating merchandise and demolishing makeshift trading stalls. In addition to inflicting violence on a vulnerable population, government shutdowns of informal food markets deprive city dwellers access to a critical source of food. Food markets in the informal sector are a vital source of both food and income for Africa’s urbanites. Large urban poor populations in Africa rely heavily on the informal economy for accessible, affordable food. These include most of their nutrient dense foods like eggs, meat,

fish, and milk. A study of 11 African cities found that 70% of households regularly purchase their food from informal markets or street vendors. Despite the key role this sector plays in the well-being of Africa’s urban poor, many countries maintain violent enforcement of colonial era laws that criminalise both buying and selling in informal arrangements. Rather than resorting to draconian measures, governments across the continent must find ways to engage with informal workers that will ensure Africa’s urban populations have adequate access to safe and nutritious foods. Often violent shutdowns of informal markets are justified by concerns about food safety and tax evasion. But some research has indicated that these concerns can be overblown. It has also revealed that violent government responses are counterproductive. Multi-country epidemiological research conducted by International Livestock Research Institute has found that food safety hazards exist in informal market foods. But the risk of illness is not necessarily higher than it is from foods purchased in supermarkets. Studies in Brazil have suggested frequent crackdowns reduce incentives for informal workers to invest in improved food safety equipment and practices. Concerns about informal vendors skirting tax payments are also based on misperceptions about how informal markets function. The international development organisation Women in the Informal Economy Globalising and Organising has been conducting research on informal market accounting in six developing countries. It found that most informal vendors in fact do pay

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

taxes and fees. This is either through a chairperson in charge of their market or directly to city municipal authorities. RATHER THAN RESORTING TO DRACONIAN MEASURES, GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE CONTINENT MUST FIND WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH INFORMAL WORKERS THAT WILL ENSURE AFRICA’S URBAN POPULATIONS HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO SAFE AND NUTRITIOUS FOODS. The common conditions of informal markets do create real food safety concerns that must be addressed. Vendors often don’t have access to electricity, waste disposal, or clean water. And ensuring they are tax compliant requires accounting systems for collecting taxes and fees. AFRICA’S CITIES MUST FIND BETTER WAYS But several countries have recently begun instituting promising attempts at productively engaging informal vendors. This is done in ways that address government concerns about safety without resorting to complete or violent shutdowns that diminish access to food. Government sponsored training on food safety is one effective measure. In Kenya, a recently established Dairy Traders Association provides training on basic hygiene and quality testing for informal milk traders. Those who complete the training receive a certificate for a licence which spares them from fines from the Kenya Dairy Board. Zambia has taken a different approach by establishing ostensibly inclusive management boards of informal markets. Local authorities, vendors, and consumers, all provide FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

INFOGRAPHIC representatives involved in decision making. This has created a transparent environment which also encourages adherence to fee payments for maintenance and sanitation needs, although it has sometimes been prone to political party interference. Other regions have also demonstrated successful ways of working with informal vendors that can be applied to an African context. In Vietnam, street vendors and the government have struck a compromise: vendors can work freely during specific hours so long as they clean up street litter at the end of their allowed time. Informal workers in Peru are working with the government to develop laws for self-employment and street vending that allow for effective oversight and safety without stifling commerce or access.

AFRICA’S FUTURE IS URBAN In the coming years, these reforms to bring the informal sector under effective oversight will become increasingly important. Urbanisation is currently occurring more rapidly in Africa south of the Sahara than anywhere else in the world. The continent’s population is expected to be majority urban by 2030. Yet there’s a general lack of strong urban development plans in most of these countries. This means that the urban population growth will also surely drive growth in the number of people who rely on the informal economy for their food and income. To feed these developing urban populations, Africa’s cities must find productive ways to work with the informal traders and markets where they get their food.

INFOGRAPHIC OF THE MONTH

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SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

NEWS UPDATES GMO

REGULATORY & POLICY

AU on its way to establishing guidelines on GMO use

AFRICA – The African Union (AU) is developing guidelines for the use of genetically modified (GM) crops across the continent, amid censure from campaigners that some policies favor giant businesses and lack adequate public input. Despite a concerted push by donorfunded schemes to expand the use of such crops in Africa, they have not been widely adopted by the millions of small-scale farmers that make up the backbone of the agricultural sector. The AU, in a draft report on its proposed guidelines, highlighted that only seven countries – South Africa, Sudan, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria and Kenya – have approved the commercial

production of GM crops. “While very sensitive, GMs are already in Africa, and some countries are using it at various stages,” Peace Mutuwa, Knowledge Manager, AU. The guidelines are to protect consumers and countries from oblivious consumption of GM products. The AU draft report emphasized that the food, feed and environmental safety controversy surrounding genetic engineering technology, in particular, makes continental guidelines extremely significant. Proponents of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) hope the guidelines will improve crop yields and food security, as farmers battle the effects of climate change. Yet another group of anti-GMO activists seem to dispute the view that widespread hunger can be eradicated with modified crops, which they say often pin down poor farmers into a debt cycle of buying high-priced seeds and agro-chemicals.

REGULATORY & POLICY

FDA institutes two new facilities to reinforce its regulatory function GHANA – The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana, has established the Centre for Laboratory Services and Research and the Centre for Import and Export Control as part of reinforcing its regulatory function to deliver improved services to support a strong implementation of the African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) regime. The two new facilities are also expected to monitor and control imports of unregistered products into the country. The centres have been accredited and certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), making its services internationally recognized. They have the largest testing scope under one roof in Africa hence will support the implementation of the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative and be a key collaborator to 10

the AfCFTA. The FDA has become a key stakeholder in the implementation of the free trade area agreement through increased regulation and safety assurance as the policy triggers increased influx of goods and services into the country. FDA’S NEW CENTRES HAVE THE LARGEST TESTING SCOPE UNDER ONE ROOF IN AFRICA.

The Authority, through the policy’s implementation, has also taken proactive steps through the Centre for Import and Export Control and the launch of the zero tolerance for unregistered imported products, to ensure that all entry points and borders are effectively controlled by its officials.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

SON unveils standardization strategy to bolster Nigeria’s socio-economic development

NIGERIA – The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has unveiled what is tagged the Nigeria National Standardization Strategy (NNSS) to unlatch a total of 658 standardization projects in key priority areas classified by economic sectors as highlighted in the federal government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP). The NNSS is a document that identifies priorities for standardization in a country based on an assessment of national needs. It is usually accompanied by a national implementation plan and gives orientation for national standardization work within three years. “It helps to develop standards in a most effective way, using the available resources in the most efficient manner, driven mainly by the SON with strong stakeholders’ engagement and assessment of national standardization priorities,” Chinyere Egwuonwo, Director, Standards Development, SON. The NNSS which is the first ever Nigerian standardization strategy listing priority standards to be developed, is currently being driven by the SON with support from all the key stakeholders and was officially approved by the Standards Council of Nigeria. The aim of the strategy is to support Nigeria’s industrialization strategies and unbridle prospects for improved socio-economic development. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

FUNDING

GMO

KEBS to receive increased government funding to support SMEs

KENYA – The Kenyan government has pledged to increase funding to its chief regulatory body, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), to support Kenyan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by getting their products certified, as they expand into regional markets. The pledge comes against the background of increased exports by Kenyan firms to regional markets and an agreement that allows countries in East Africa to share quality standards. This means goods certified in Kenya will not need to be retested after export

into the region and vice versa. As part of the government’s strategy to support SMEs, the Ministry is mapping the country’s resources to entrench the One Village One Product model that will ensure equitable distribution of jobs and manufacturing opportunities across the country. During a visit to the KEBS headquarters, Peter Kaberia, Permanent Secretary, Industrialization, highlighted that increasing the number of experts at KEBS, and investing in new testing equipment will help Kenya achieve the Big Four Agenda as well as Vision 2030 development goals. Bernard Njiraini, KEBS Managing Director, said SMEs had increased their requests for certification of their goods, an indication that many are keen to be part of the formal economy. This, he said, has been largely driven by hitches in importing goods due to the effects of Covid-19 and the desire by Kenyan SMEs to expand into the regional market.

CERTIFICATION

Crown Flour Mill Ltd acquires FSSC 22000 certification NIGERIA – Nigeria’s Crown Flour Mill Ltd (CFM), one of the top 10 millers in the world, have received the Food Safety System Certification, FSSC 22000 certification. FSSC 22000 is designed to help organizations establish and continually improve their control and management of food safety. It fully incorporates the International Organization for Standardization’s, ISO 22000 management system, with sector specific prerequisite program and additional FSSC 22000 requirements. This ensures recognition by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) which demonstrates that the Scheme meets the highest standards globally, leading to international food industry acceptance. Furthermore, the Scheme is widely accepted by accreditation bodies worldwide and supported by essential stakeholders like Food Drink Europe (FDE) and the Consumer Brands

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Association (CBA). In addition to the FSSC 22000, CFM was awarded the ISO certification for food safety and quality management, ISO TS 22002-1:2009; FSSC 22000; ISO 9001:2015 by Bureau Veritas, in 2019, becoming the first flour milling company in Sub-Saharan Africa to be so certified. The ISO certification specifies the eight quality management principles which define the way an organization operates to meet the requirements of its customers and stakeholders. Crown Flour Mill Ltd has been in the wheat milling business in Nigeria for over four decades.

GMOs approval stalls in Uganda despite successful field trials UGANDA – Ugandan scientists have struggled to progress their Genetically Modified (GM) crop research beyond confined field trials (CFTs) thanks to lack of biosafety regulations to guide GM crops commercialization. This has led scientists developing an improved GM maize variety that is drought-tolerant and insect-resistant at Uganda’s National Crops Resources THE DELAYED PROGRESS IN BIOTECH CROPS APPROVAL MADE THE COUNTRY TO LOSE ITS FUNDING FOR THE TELA MAIZE PROJECT TO OTHER PRIORITY COUNTRIES.

Research Institute (NaCRRI), to halt their research and destroy their results. “We have completed confined field trials for Bt maize, but we cannot apply for environmental release because we don’t have a law to guide usage of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Uganda,” Dr. Godfrey Asea, principal investigator for the research & Director of NaCRRI. Asea said Uganda wasn’t really progressing after investing lots of time in these technologies because the country’s leadership couldn’t decide whether or not to permit GMOs cultivation. The delayed progress in biotech crops approval made the country to lose its funding for the GM insect-resistant and droughttolerant,TELA maize project to other priority countries. The Ugandan Parliament have made two attempts in passing a biotechnology and biosafety bill to guide usage of GMOs, first in 2017 and again in 2018 with President Yoweri Museveni returning the bill to the house on both occasions. Ugandan researchers are hopeful the country will one day pass the law and researchers can deliver their products to the farmers.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

REGULATORY & POLICY

FSSAI issues draft document on vegan foods regulations

REGULATORY & POLICY

Tanzania green-lights EAC Sanitary & Phytosanitary Protocol

INDIA – India’s regulatory watchdog, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued draft Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021, outlining vegan foods and stating compliance requirements in regards to labeling, packaging and a logo exclusively meant for vegan food products. FSSAI’s draft regulations define ‘Vegan Food’ as “ those foods or food ingredients that have not made use of any ingredients, additives and processing aids of animal origin including milk and milk products, fish, poultry and meat, egg or egg products, honey or honey bee products, materials of insect origin like silk, dyes, chitin or chitosan etc. or ingredients that are clarified using animal-sourced products, for example, bone char used in sugar bleaching, isinglass in clarifying beer etc.” This marks the first time FSSAI is looking at setting standards and has sought views from stakeholders, close on the heels of clarifying that plant-based beverages cannot be labelled as milk. The draft prohibits any person from manufacturing, packing, selling, marketing, or otherwise distributing or importing any food as vegan food unless they comply with the requirements laid down under these regulations. It further notifies that the traceability shall be established up to the manufacturer level and shall include any other requirements prescribed by the Food Authority to maintain the vegan integrity of the foods or food ingredients or products thereof from time to time. The draft regulations shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of 60 days, i.e., 7 November 2021, from the date on which copies of the Official Gazette in which the notification is published are made available to the public. 12

TANZANIA – The Tanzanian parliament has given a nod to the East African Sanitary and Phytosanitary Protocol (SPS) 2013, a move that will improve access to a wider selection of safe food and create regulations for dealing with aflatoxins, which pose a risk to human and animal health. The EAC SPS protocol was developed in accordance with Article 151 of the EAC Treaty, which obliges the partner states to harmonize sanitary and phytosanitary measures for pest and disease control. Tanzania has stalled ratification of the protocol by eight years. Agriculture Minister Prof. Adolf Mkenda said ratification of the protocol would boost trade between Tanzania and other East African countries and

ensure the safety of food, plants and animals, adding that its implementation will fast-track the growth of the EAC zone, especially in the agricultural sector. “We expect the protocol to stimulate trade in food crops between partner countries and increase business opportunities as Tanzania’s products will have easy access to EAC markets. The approved protocol aims to harmonize the inspection procedures and certification systems for entry and exit points to ensure market standards so that the harvest is delivered safely and efficiently,” he said. The protocol is envisioned to provide an opportunity for EAC experts to work together in developing standards and enforcement mechanisms in the areas of food safety, plant and animal health. Further, the EAC partner states will jointly defend the quality of agricultural products exported to international markets.

REGULATORY & POLICY

NAFDAC sounds alarm over rejection of export goods by EU, US NIGERIA – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has run down the constant rejection of food and agricultural commodities from Nigeria by the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) member countries over what it described as poor quality. The problem of quality, standard, certification, and appropriate packaging for made-in-Nigeria products destined for export has been an issue in the international market and there is a need to address the issue of rejections. In a press statement on Quality and Safety of Export Food Trade, the NAFDAC Director General, Prof Moji Adeyeye, urged all the regulatory agencies at the port lumbered with the obligation of guaranteeing high quality of imports and exports, to find urgent and lasting solutions to Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Border Rejection Notifications from the European Commission on products originating from Nigeria. NAFDAC called for proper collaboration and synergy amongst all agencies of government ‘’WE NEED TO CLOSE GAPS AND WORK TOGETHER TO PREVENT REGULATORY GAPS BEING EXPLOITED BY THE UNSCRUPULOUS TRADERS.”

to curb the indecent behavior of some exporters and ensure only quality and certified products are exported. ‘’We need to close gaps and work together to prevent regulatory gaps being exploited by the unscrupulous traders and their collaborators. There must be convergence for all regulatory activities especially at the Ports of Exit as a starting point before we begin cleaning up and capacitating the honest operators and traders within the country,’’ concluded Adeyeye. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

REGULATORY & POLICY

Namibia draft law to prohibit alcoholic beverages advertisement NAMIBIA – The government of Namibia is drafting a law that could potentially make the advertisement, promotion, and sponsorship of alcoholic beverages in Namibia illegal. The draft bill, titled ‘The Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use’, aims to curb the negative impacts of certain substances, among other things. The proposed law will therefore ban the advertisement and promotion of highly addictive and illegal narcotic drugs that affect mental performance, and cause changes in mood, awareness, thoughts, feelings, or behavior. By implication, this will include commercially produced alcoholic beverages. Among the many objectives of the draft bill, is a proposal to establish a National Drug Control Commission (NDRC) and regional substance use control forums, which would be tasked with registering all service providers – producers, importers and retailers who distribute substances targeted under the proposed law. The NDRC will also establish the administrative and regulatory framework within which service providers must provide their services. The Self-Regulating Alcohol Industry Forum (SAIF), an association of commercial alcohol producers, has however, raised concerns over some parts of the draft bill – especially over sections curtailing the advertisement and promotion of their products. Major alcoholic beverage producers, such as the Namibia Breweries Limited and Camelthorn, are members of this association. SAIF’s coordinator, Horst Heimstadt, said the proposed law could have a far-reaching negative impact on the alcohol and advertising industry. He took issue with the government grouping commercially produced alcohol and illegal substances together. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

REGULATORY & POLICY

Ghana’s draft Aflatoxin Policy awaits Cabinet approval

GHANA – Ghana’s effort to espouse a coordinated approach for aflatoxin control in food and feed has been given a boost with the development of a draft policy by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI) for approval of the Cabinet. The policy is intended to harness the collective skills and strengths of various stakeholders for the efficient management of aflatoxins in the country so as to help increase income of food value chain actors.

Aflatoxin contamination is said to be highly prevalent in Ghana and mostly affects staple foods such as raw and processed products of maize, groundnut, sorghum, millet, kokonte (dried partially fermented cassava), spices as well as animal products instigating various illnesses and rejection of maize imports. At a sensitization workshop on the Aflatoxin Policy hosted by the CSIRSTEPRI in Accra, for all stakeholders, Mrs. Cynthia Asare-Bediako, Chief Director, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), explicated that the policy was an important tool that would promote food safety, public health and economic development. She advised that while stakeholders await the approval from Cabinet, intensive education and awareness creation should be ongoing for people to know how to handle their food and feed so as to ensure the safety of all persons who consume them.

FOOD RECALLS

Namibia recalls Tiger Brands products as other affected countries follow suite SOUTH AFRICA – Namibia’s health ministry has instructed local environmental health practitioners to withdraw various KOO canned products, Hugo’s Baked Beans and Helderberg Peas, produced between 1 May 2019 and 5 May 2021, from Namibian shelves. Canned products forming part of this recall cover various KOO canned vegetable products, excluding all KOO canned fruit products, KOO pilchards and KOO products packaged in glass. South African manufacturer, Tiger Brands, recently issued a recall of some 20 million KOO and Hugo’s canned vegetable products, as they may have a defective side seam weld that could cause them to leak. The company said it identified the issue as part of its internal quality assurance processes. Tiger Brands revealed that it initially took the recall decision in consultation with South Africa’s

National Consumer Council (NCC) to initiate the precautionary withdrawal in the best interest of consumers. It noted that affected products can be readily identified either via the pallet label, the date code on the can or the label that is affixed to the shrink-wrapped case. The COMESA Competition Commission has enlightened that the recalled products were imported and marketed in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) implying that several African countries CANNED PRODUCTS FORMING PART OF THIS RECALL COVER VARIOUS KOO CANNED VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

could also be affected. Malawi and Botswana have initiated a recall of the products with the issue outstretching as far as Australia and New Zealand.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

CERTIFICATION

TECHNOLOGY

Kenya’s NCPB and Nigeria’s NSDC obtain ISO 9001:2015 Certification KENYA/NIGERIA – The National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB), a state corporation whose mandate includes procuring and managing the Country’s Strategic Food Reserve (SFR), has been accorded the International Organization for Standardization, ISO 9001:2015, certification, as a corroboration of the quality of their products and services to consumer. NCPB Managing Director, Joseph Kimote, said the Board has come a long way and with the backing of the government, has undertaken various projects and initiatives and managed to record major milestones and achievements in the recent past, revealing that there is enhanced service delivery, well refurbished infrastructure and a more motivated workforce, whose major drive is focus on results aimed at positioning the Board as a key player in the food sector. “The new standard ISO 9001:2015 is more robust and provides more benefits

to the organization and with one of the key ISO standard’s objectives being to promote efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction,” Joseph Kimote, Managing Director, NCPB. Kimote clarified that the maize is clean and free from aflatoxin and available for sale to any miller at any NCPB stores across the country. The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), the focal agency responsible for the regulation of all activities in the sugar sub-sector in Nigeria has also been presented with the International organization for Standardization, ISO 9001: 2015 certificate for service delivery to the market. While congratulating the council, the Director-General of the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, said the award sets NSDC at par with a privileged class of quality management system certified and upgraded organizations in the country.

REGULATORY & POLICY

Upfield Foods defends AIB Quality Audit rank registering greater score KENYA – Upfield, the largest plantbased consumer products company in the world and manufacturer of Blue Band range of products, has realized a four-point improvement in the annual AIB unannounced quality audit in its Kenyan factory to retain an A classification. The internationally recognized AIB quality audit is conducted annually and focuses on good manufacturing practices such as process control and monitoring, personnel & hygiene standards, facilities and infrastructure and compliance to legal and regulatory product standards. AIB International is a pioneer and leader in food safety auditing and education with 60 years of practice. Upfield East and Southern Africa Managing Director, Peter Muchiri said the improved score was as a result of various measures taken by the organization such as sustainable 14

closure of previous AIB audit actions. “This quality audit means our factory is audited and graded against other factories worldwide using internationally recognized Good Manufacturing Practice standards, he said. This educational audit is designed to look beyond the surface to areas where food safety issues may not have been readily visible. In 2020, Upfield Kenya attained an A classification of 90.5%, “THIS QUALITY AUDIT MEANS OUR FACTORY IS AUDITED AND GRADED AGAINST OTHER FACTORIES WORLDWIDE USING INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GMP STANDARDS.”

an upgrade from a B classification the previous year. The Nairobi-based company earlier in the year achieved the coveted Food Management System Standard certification, FSSC 22000, an indication of the quality of its products.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Milestone in frozen food industry as researchers develop new freezing method

U.S – U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of CaliforniaBerkeley scientists have worked together to develop a new food freezing method that could result in safer and better-quality frozen foods while saving energy and reducing carbon emissions. The Agricultural Research Service is the USDA’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. The new freezing method, called isochoric freezing, works by storing foods in a sealed, rigid container, typically made of hard plastic or metal, completely filled with a liquid such as water. Unlike conventional freezing in which the food is exposed to the air and freezes solid at temperatures below 32 degrees F (00 Celsius), isochoric freezing preserves food without turning it to solid ice. As long as the food stays immersed in the liquid portion, it is protected from ice crystallization, which is the main threat to food quality. Isochoric freezing also allows for higher quality storage of fresh foods such as tomatoes, sweet cherries and potatoes that are otherwise difficult to preserve with conventional freezing. Another advantage of isochoric freezing is that it also kills microbial contaminants during processing.

FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

AGRIBUSINESS

CERTIFICATION

FAO launches online course to improve poultry production practices in African countries ZAMBIA/ZIMBABWE – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through its Virtual Learning Centre for Southern Africa (SFS-VLC) has launched an online course to bolster the capacity of Farmer Field School (FFS) facilitators and master trainers in Zambia and Zimbabwe to prepare and run quality poultry-focused FFS. The course will broaden their knowledge and skills in FFS facilitation in poultry production and health and in approaches to promote prudent antimicrobial use and raise awareness on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Financial support for the training was provided from the Fleming Fund of the United Kingdom, the MARS Global Food Safety Center and from the subproject “Delivering capacity building and country support in the context of COVID-19 crisis using regional Virtual Learning Centres”, under the MDF

project. The choice of a virtual platform, in particular the SFS-VLC, to host the delivery of this course has been instrumental in filling the training gap created by movement restrictions as part of preventing and controlling the pandemic. The course was developed by a multidisciplinary team from different FAO branches. In this course, participants have access to learning materials mainly in the form of videos and images on the course web page. They will also interact with experts on poultry production, FFS, and AMR in an interactive discussion forum and live sessions, including live presentations and group discussions. Currently the course is covering Zambia and Zimbabwe as a starting point. Efforts will be made to establish collaborations for the roll out of the training in other countries in the region and beyond.

ACQUISITION

Tech-focused investment firm Battery Ventures acquires Institute for Product Quality U.S – Battery Ventures, a global, technology-focused investment firm, has announced it has acquired ifp Institut für Produktqualität GmbH also known as Institute for Product Quality GmbH, a provider of analytical testing and analysis services for customers across the food, feed, and water sectors. The company, founded in 2004 and based in Berlin, has earned a strong reputation for its focus on specialized testing for food allergens, pathogens, vitamins, and pesticides. In addition to providing analytical laboratory services, ifp manufactures diagnostic test kits for detection of vitamins, food allergens, pathogens, GMOs and other substances. The company will continue to be led by its Managing Directors Dr. Wolfgang Weber and Carolin Poweleit, with Dr. Weber, the company’s founder, retaining an ownership stake in the business. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

“At Battery, we have been tracking the critical food safety sector for several years, particularly as the global food-supply chain has become more complex—creating more opportunities for safety issues. At the same time, consumers are increasingly sensitive to food safety, quality and its sustainability, with many seeking healthier options IFP WILL CONTINUE TO BE LED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTORS DR. WOLFGANG WEBER AND CAROLIN POWELEIT

that are free of additives,” Zack Smotherman, Battery partner. Battery partners with exceptional founders and management teams developing category-defining businesses in markets including software and services, enterprise infrastructure, online marketplaces, healthcare IT and industrial technology.

GFSI recognizes FSSC 22000 Version 5.1 ensuing benchmarking

GLOBAL – The FSSC Foundation has announced that Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 Version 5.1 has now been recognized against Version 2020.1 of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Benchmarking Requirements. The GFSI’s Benchmarking Requirements Version 2020.1 is a revamp and follow-up on their Version 7.2 that resulted in additional requirements concerning Certification Program Owner governance. As one of the already GFSI-recognized certification programmes, FSSC 22000 applied for the benchmarking of their Version 5.1 standard to get GFSI recognition. On top of strengthened Certification Body (CB) performance requirements, the update aims to align FSSC 22000 with the new GFSI scheme requirements released in 2020, including the new requirements around multi-site certification. Key changes include a scope structure alignment to ISO 22003, which defines the rules applicable for the audit and certification of a food safety management system (FSMS) and the latest Codex Alimentarius guidelines on food hygiene. It also contains the introduction of Food Safety Culture and the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in auditing. Consequently, the FSSC has strengthened its Integrity Program and licensing process, updated its requirements in FSSC 22000 Version 5.1(V5.1), and published a guidance document on how to audit food safety culture.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

REGULATORY & POLICY

Spain amends regulations on olive oil quality, standards SPAIN – The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries has approved a new set of laws and regulations governing olive oil quality standards for the first time in almost 40 years. The update to the 1983 royal decree includes a series of requirements for traceability, preparation and packaging of the final product. The ministry said that its goal is to add value to the country’s extra virgin olive oil production and increase consumer awareness about the organoleptic and healthy qualities of the product.

To that end, the ministry has restricted the use of the terms “virgin” and “extra virgin” solely to olive oil. No other type of edible oil will be permitted to use the terms on its label, including vegetable oils that have been blended with virgin or extra virgin olive oil. The ministry has also cracked down on the practice known locally as refrescado, or the blending of virgin olive oils from the current crop year with oils from previous campaigns to improve the organoleptic characteristics of the older product. It said the practice, which was explicitly permitted in the previous royal decree, shortened the shelf-life of the resulting blend. To improve traceability and crackdown on olive oil fraud, the ministry said it will launch a digital standardized traceability system.

REGULATORY & POLICY

UK to assent use of gene editing in agriculture following exit from EU UK – The United Kingdom (UK) government is set to greenlight the use of gene editing in agriculture which could see altered produce on the supermarket shelves in five years’ time. The move will mark the biggest divergence by the UK away from existing European laws since leaving the European Union (EU), which has banned the technique for years amid fears it is unsafe. Gene editing involves the technique of replacing genes that govern certain traits, such as water dependency, disease resistance and nutrition with better-functioning ones from the same species. Advocates say it has the potential to make crops much more nutritious and resistant to storms or pests and to considerably boost the resilience and yields of livestock. Brexit minister Lord Frost announced the government’s intention to revoke EU laws governing the use of genetic editing in the UK as part of a statement on “Brexit opportunities”

in the coming years, informing that Environment Secretary, George Eustice, would soon set out plans to reform the regulation of gene edited organisms. “The lifting of the ban will enable more sustainable and efficient farming and help produce healthier and more nutritious food”, he added. The National Farmers Union (NFU) believes gene-edited produce could be on shop shelves within five years. Outdoor trials have been launched to grow GE wheat that eliminates acrylamide, a carcinogen that occurs when bread is toasted. It is being grown in a controlled environment in Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire.

TECHNOLOGY

Gürsoy leverages TOMRA’s latest sorting machine to increase hazelnut quality TURKEY – Gürsoy, one of Turkey’s top 10 hazelnut exporters, has invested in the new TOMRA 5C optical sorter machine for processing hazelnuts, giving it a competitive advantage targeting high quality export markets as it is the first company in the country to employ this technology. Gürsoy produces natural hazelnuts and various processed hazelnuts for industrial use. It has been using TOMRA machines in its facilities since the early 2000s. The main factors in preferring the TOMRA 5C were its sorting performance, capacity, and ability to detect the defects which other machines would miss, and the company’s previous experience with TOMRA machines in the past years. TOMRA Food Turkey Sales Manager Ahmet Koçyiğit informed that the TOMRA 5C premium optical sorter combines industry-leading sensors

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

HIGH-RESOLUTION LASERS AND THE LATEST GENERATION SENSORS HELP THE TOMRA 5C DETECT AND ANALYZE THE SMALLEST DEFECTS

with machine learning and big-data analysis to ensure the most accurate foreign material removal possible. “High-resolution lasers and the latest generation sensors help the TOMRA 5C detect and analyze the smallest defects, which are impossible to scan with other machines. With this sorter, we address the biggest challenges of the nut and dried fruit industry, such as labor, food safety and product quality. Gürsoy will be the first hazelnut processor in Turkey to use this special machine thanks to its approach being always open to improvement,” Ahmet Koçyiğit, Sales Manager, TOMRA Food Turkey.

FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

TECHNOLOGY

Researchers develop AI Technology capable of predicting food decay

INDIA – A group of 8 students undertaking an AI and Machine Learning Programme from India’s leading EdTech company, Great Learning, have revealed that implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the food safety departments can help food and beverages, and hotel industry to minimize losses owed to food decay, by studying its current temperature thus predicting the rotting of the food in advance. The research titled, ’Food Temperature Analysis and Forecasting’ can consequently minimize losses from the spoilage of edibles and also bring down operational costs. The model continuously monitors the gas level, the humidity level, and the temperature of vacuum-packed foods and notifies a user when the temperature of stored food warms up. The main purpose of this research is to build an algorithm which would predict temperature fluctuations in each food sample and suggest when the food item shall decay based on the history recorded. “Preserving food with higher safety norms is a very important aspect of the food industry. Raising and falling temperature would affect the quality of food, increase operational costs, and loss from spoilage of edibles. To improve food safety by maintaining appropriate temperatures we have built an AI model to predict temperature using historical data,” said Dr. Narayana Darapaneni, Director, AIML Programme. The research was granted a best paper award under the AI and Machine Learning Category at the IEEE World AI IOT Congress 2021, which was held in Seattle in May. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

REGULATORY & POLICY

KEBS bans maize meal and composite flours in controversial crackdown KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has issued a ban on several maize meal and composite flours from being sold to the public in Kenya, a move that has seen some of the leading flour milling companies as well as smaller players in the country getting caught up in the dragnet. In a letter addressed to the Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) CEO Wambui Mbarire, the standards regulator has sought the industry body’s support to inform its affected members in the milling sector to recall the affected brands from across retail outlets across the country with immediate effect. “Following market surveillance conducted on maize meal and composite flour brands in circulation across the country, KEBS detected non-compliance with the requirements of the Standards Act Cap 496, Laws of Kenya,” the letter read in part. However, KEBS has failed to

provide concrete reasons for the noncompliance by any of the brands, leaving the public to speculate as to the cause of the ban – although previous recalls in Kenya of milled maize products have been mainly due to contamination with Aflatoxins. The recall affects some of the leading milling companies in Kenya, including Pembe Flour Mills, Capwell THE RECALL AFFECTS SOME OF THE LEADING MILLING COMPANIES IN KENYA, INCLUDING PEMBE FLOUR MILLS AND CAPWELL INDUSTRIES

Industries, Osho Grain Millers, Eldoret Grain Millers and Unga Limited, plus a long list of small and medium scale millers dotted in other towns. This recall follows action by KEBS to recall 17 maize meal brands in the country in January 2020, due to Aflatoxins contamination after a major crackdown by the regulator.

TRADE

FDA to host New Era of Smarter Food Safety Summit on E-Commerce

U.S – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Federal Register Notice to formally announce a three-day public meeting to discuss the safety of foods sold online and delivered directly to consumers. The FDA New Era of Smarter Food Safety Summit on E-Commerce: ‘Ensuring the Safety of Foods Ordered Online and Delivered Directly to Consumers’ will take place virtually in October 19-21, 2021. The summit is designed to help the agency improve its understanding of how human and animal foods are sold through Business to Consumer (B2C) e-commerce models across the U.S. and globally. The number of consumers ordering

food online has been steadily increasing over the years, but it has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, convening this summit is a goal set in FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint. The blueprint’s goal is to convene a summit to identify courses of action to address potential food safety vulnerabilities, including those that may arise in the “last mile” of delivery. Topics for discussion during the summit include types of B2C e-commerce models, Safety risks associated with foods sold through B2C e-commerce, Standards of care used by industry to control these safety risks, types of delivery models. The FDA intends to take lessons during the public meeting, and from comments submitted to the Federal Register, and use them to aid in determining what actions, if any, may be needed to keep consumers safe.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

REGULATORY & POLICY

CERTIFICATION

IAEA, ISO avow partnership continuity during 40th anniversary GLOBAL – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) heads have reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together in the development of international standards that will ensure nuclear technology provides its indispensable benefits to the world in a safe and secure manner. This comes as the two organizations mark the 40th anniversary of the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between them. The MoU signed by the IAEA and ISO in 1981 sets out guidelines for their cooperation and regular consultation on matters of common interest, allowing the two organizations to meet their respective statutory objectives. The IAEA is the world’s centre for cooperation in the nuclear field. Its work includes the establishment or adoption of safety standards for protecting people and the environment from harmful

effects of ionizing radiation. ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization that develops market-relevant international standards. “Although the IAEA and ISO are two quite different organizations, the very important work we do in the area of international standards is complementary. Forty years of successful collaboration is an achievement to celebrate. It is also a chance to look ahead to the work we will do together to ensure international standards remain fit for purpose and nuclear technologies continue to be used safely for everything,” Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, IAEA. Together, the IAEA and ISO renew their commitment to continue developing internationally agreed standards that are high quality, fit for purpose and user friendly, thereby protecting both people and the environment.

TECHNOLOGY

FDA declares champions of Tech-enabled Traceability Challenge U.S – The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has eventually announced the winners of the “New Era of Smarter Food Safety Low- or No-Cost Tech-enabled Traceability Challenge” which was launched this year in June. The challenge is part of a goal set forth in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint to encourage the development of creative financial models for low- to no-cost traceability solutions that would enable food producers of all sizes to participate in a scalable, cost-effective way. Techenabled traceability is one of the foundational core elements of the FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative. Achieving end-to-end traceability – the ability to track a food’s route from source to table – throughout the food supply system can help speed the response to foodborne illness outbreaks and deepen our understanding of what 18

causes them and how to prevent them from happening again. “I’m excited to announce that we have chosen 12 winners representing the U.S., Canada and New Zealand from the 90 submissions we received from all over the world. Winning submissions for this challenge are high-quality, impactful, cover a considerable range of use cases and use a variety of approaches, platforms and technical designs,” Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy and Response, FDA. The winning teams include FarmTabs, Freshly, HeavyConnect, ItemChain, Kezzler, Mojix, OpsSmart, Precise, Roambee/GSM/Wiliot’s, Rfider, TagOne and Wholechain.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

JWD Asia Logistics Company receives ISO 22000 Certification CAMBODIA – JWD Asia Logistics (Cambodia) Company Limited (JWD Asia) has underscored its leadership in the cold chain logistics by being the first and only business operator in this segment in Cambodia to be awarded the ISO-22000 Food Safety standard certification, thereby snowballing the customers and market’s confidence in the food safety standards, and assurance of quality inventory management and logistics services at the international level. The leading logistics service provider in Southeast Asia JWD Asia Group’s managing director Tanate Piriyothinkul revealed that ISO 22000 is a key to ascertain valuable and potential customers with the company’s strong commitment and integrity to serve with quality standards. JWD Asia is a subsidiary of JWD InfoLogistics Public Company Limited which is an ASEAN top specialized supply chain solution based in Thailand since 1979. With over two decades in cold chain logistics, it offers state-ofart operation and services to domestic and international customers across the region. JWD Asia’s goal is to enhance the standard of food quality and safety in Cambodia, by improving the overall logistics and supply chain process and standards in food, and cold chain sectors. The Managing Director, Express Food Group (EFG), Martin Darby pointed out the cruciality of ISO 22000 to their customers, franchisers and the company at large. “Asia is operating to a global measurable standard of consistent quality and control. We’ve always been impressed by the standards provided by JWD Asia, and we congratulate their management team on gaining this prestigious international benchmark of excellence,” he added.

FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

SCIENCE & RESEARCH

RESEARCH

Global Leaders Group on AMR caution on overuse of antimicrobial drugs in food system GLOBAL – The Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) have called for an urgent reduction in the quantity of antimicrobial drugs, including antibiotics, used in food systems to combat rising levels of drug resistance. The group was created in November 2020 comprising of heads of state, government ministers, and representatives from the private sector and civil society from 22 countries. Its main objective was to accelerate global political momentum, leadership and action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The GLG reiterated that countries must stop the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs to promote growth in healthy animals. The call comes ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit

which takes place in New York on 23 September 2021 where countries will discuss ways to transform global food systems. AMR in bacteria can make foodborne infections such as Campylobacter and Salmonella harder to treat. Experts said climate change may also be contributing to an increase in AMR. The GLG noted that without action to reduce levels of antimicrobial use in food systems, the world was heading toward a tipping point where the drugs relied on to treat infections in humans, animals and plants will no longer be effective. “We need urgent action to win the race against AMR. The longer the world delays, the greater the costs will be, in terms of costs to health systems, costs to food systems, costs to economies, and costs in lives and livelihoods,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO.

TECHNOLOGY

SecQuAL Project awarded funding by ISCF to enable smart labelling in pork production UK – A group of eleven UK companies has been awarded funding by the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), a government project that addresses the big societal challenges being faced by UK businesses, for their project Secure Quality Assured Logistics for Digital Food Ecosystems ( SecQuAL), designed to bring technology to the fore in the farm-to-fork ecosystem. The project will initially focus on the application of smart labels in pork production, in order to reduce food waste and increase consumer confidence in the food they purchase. Smart labels are unique digital IDs which can be attached to food, allowing it to be traced, tracked and monitored in real-time. The award is part of ‘Made Smarter Innovation’ delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the national funding agency investing in science and research in the UK. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

“Concerns about food safety, provenance and waste, combined with expectations of low food prices, mean that supply chains will have to become smarter and more efficient. With our established expertise in the food sector and with the visibility that LR has THE PROJECT WILL INITIALLY FOCUS ON THE APPLICATION OF SMART LABELS IN PORK PRODUCTION.

right across the supply chain, we are in a unique position to help the food industry take this step,” Stuart Kelly, Sales Director, Business Assurance, Lloyd’s Register. SecQuAL will enable a new breed of high growth UK based innovators to develop critical and integrated technologies which support the increasing digitalization and provenance transparency of food supply chains through the benefits of blockchain technologies.

GIA releases Global Food Safety Testing Market Analytics, predicts mounting trend

GLOBAL – The San Francisco-based Global Industry Analysts (GIA), a leading publisher of off-the-shelf market research, has projected in a new report that presents fresh perspectives on opportunities and challenges in a significantly transformed postCOVID-19 marketplace, that the food safety testing market is expected to reach US$ 24.4 billion by 2026. Global markets for food safety testing are commanded by developed economies of Europe and North America. The report notes that the continuous rise in the occurrence of food contamination, stringent regulations pertaining to food safety, and access to advanced food safety testing labs are all contributing to the leadership of these developed economies in the market. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Global food safety testing, was estimated at US$ 17.4 billion. A 5.8 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is projected to grow the food safety testing market to $24.4 billion by 2026. The 2021 estimate for the U.S. market is $3.9 billion. China, the world’s second-largest economy, is predicted to reach $1.6 billion by 2026. Japan and Canada are forecast to grow by 5.1 percent and 5.3 percent during the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany’s growth is expected to reach 5.6 percent annually. “Rising concerns over food and water safety and tightening environmental regulations are raising the need for testing contaminants, thereby generating strong demand for food safety diagnostics,” says the GIA report. It adds that the need to prevent food contamination and reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses is a major driving force for market growth.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

SUPPLIER NEWS PerkinElmer debuts IndiScope for faster, precise milk analysis

U.S – PerkinElmer, Inc., an American global corporation focused in the business areas of diagnostics, life science research, food, environmental and industrial testing, has launched the IndiScope raw milk analysis solution designed to help milk collection points perform fast and accurate testing to determine fair market value and help ensure a safe raw milk supply chain for consumers. Based on PerkinElmer’s Spectrum TwoFT-IR, the IndiScope solution is designed for low maintenance and ease of use including the pre-calibrated instrument with pre-defined methods, built-in software for easy integration with other systems and PerkinElmer consumables. With the IndiScope solution, milk collection stations can quickly and easily test milk’s composition for fat and protein levels and detect adulterants such as water, maltodextrin and urea. Results are delivered in under 30 seconds, enabling up to 400 samples to be processed daily. Featuring a touch screen interface, the system requires minimal training and helps reduce human error. The solution’s workflow meets International

Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Dairy Federation (IDF) and Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) guidance for testing repeatability and data can be saved via built-in USB ports or exported to a PC. INDISCOPE DELIVERS RESULTS IN UNDER 30 SECONDS, ENABLING UP TO 400 SAMPLES TO BE PROCESSED DAILY.

The IndiScope solution belongs to PerkinElmer’s instrument, software, consumables and service line-up for dairy producers and processors and is part of PerkinElmer’s extensive food analysis portfolio spanning grain, seafood, meat, produce and cannabis testing workflows. The company has also launched the PerkinElmer Virtual Reality (‘VR’) Demo Center of Excellence for Food Testing, to help customers experience the IndiScope solution’s streamlined workflow first-hand and without having to leave their farm, bench or desk. In this immersive environment customers can operate the simple IndiScope workflow to interact with the instrument, run samples and see results.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Triumph for cassava farmers as Bayer launches herbicide to increase yields NIGERIA – Bayer Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, , one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, has developed and launched a new crop protection product known as Lagon to help farmers tackle the problem of weeds in cassava and raise yield. Tested on more than 200 trials and demos across Nigeria and Tanzania, Lagon was rated among the top best pre-emergent herbicides for control of both grasses and broad-leaf weeds in cassava. Weeds have remained a major challenge to increased cassava productivity in Nigeria and Africa in general and when left uncontrolled, they compete for water, nutrients and space with cassava and depress yield by 40-90%. To tackle the menace of weeds, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) managed the Cassava Weed Management Project, and in the last eight years, screened more than 40 pre-emergent herbicides both onstation and on-farm. The trials and subsequent demonstrations were conducted in Abia, Benue, Ogun and Oyo states in Nigeria, and in Tanzania. Across the four states, which represent the key agroecological zones that predominantly grow cassava in Nigeria, yield of cassava from Lagon treated fields were more than double the national average and were above 20 tons per hectare. Furthermore, cassava plants treated with Lagon were more vigorous compared to those on fields where the product was not used. Dr Alfred Dixon, Director for Development & Delivery at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) said that the Cassava Weed Management Project team also conducted residue analysis on the leaves, stems and roots of cassava, which turned out negative ascertain the safety of Lagon.

FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

AOAC validates TAAG Genetics’ PCR Assay TAAG F41 VIP kit

Bia Analytical expands range of authenticity tests to encompass white pepper

Bruker upgrades NMR HoneyProfiling Module to strengthen honey adulteration detection

UK –

U.S – TAAG Genetics, an international genetics and informatics laboratory, has announced that its TAAG F41 VIP kit, a multiplex real-time PCR assay capable of detecting four separate foodborne pathogens in a single reaction, has been accorded Performance Tested Methods status from the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) Research Institute. AOAC promotes and conducts activities to help develop, improve, and validate proprietary testing methods. TAAG’s Food Safety Laboratory works with a variety of clients in the food industry to guarantee the safety and quality of their products. As part of that effort, it has developed and validated the F41 VIP, a simple-toperform method that provides accurate presumptive results in 24 hours from sample enrichment. The kits simultaneously identify key pathogens of concern in the industry like Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., S. aureus, and E. coli. They work together with the TAAG Xpert Assistant (TxA) software, which utilizes artificial intelligence to identify and help eradicate pathogen problem points in clients’ facilities. Their rapid method offers considerable cost and time savings compared to the ISO reference methods. The user manual is simple and easy to follow while the instrument software only requires a few simple steps to operate. Sample analysis is elementary enough that a technician of any training level can conduct the assay and obtain accurate results.

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Bia Analytical, a leading UK food authentication testing lab, will now test for adulteration within white pepper alongside the other nine herbs it currently analyses, after several prominent cases of food fraud, including sage and oregano. White Pepper, in like manner to Black Pepper, is made from the berries of the pepper plant, originating in India and cultivated in many other tropical regions. White Pepper is usually more expensive to produce than Black Pepper as the process involves more steps. It is therefore a target of adulteration with the ground form being most at risk from economically motivated food fraud through addition of substances such as husks, skins, spent materials and flour. “Nedspice Group of companies are pleased to collaborate with Bia Analytical in the fight against food fraud, and the addition of another product to the list of spices where authenticity can be verified using a THE TEAM IS WORKING TO EXTEND THE PRODUCT PORTFOLIO FROM THE CURRENT NINE TO 25 MODELS BY THE END OF 2021

fast, reliable and accredited method is vital to ensure consumer protection,” Steve Clemenson, Director, Quality and Sustainability, Nedspice. In January, the Belfast-based company expanded its laboratorybased food authenticity testing services with two additional spices, black pepper and turmeric. This followed a successful seed funding at the start of 2020 which saw it round up the work on building new chemometric models for black pepper and turmeric, to provide accurate authenticity testing and detect Economically Motivated Adulteration (EMA) in food ingredients. The team is working to extend the product portfolio from the current nine to 25 models by the end of 2021 with the inclusion of methods for new food groups.

U.S – Bruker, world leader in magnetic resonance, has launched the latest version of its Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Honey-Profiling module for the advanced detection of the dynamic modes of honey adulteration. The new module expands the growing database to 28,000 reference honey samples, covering over 50 countries, 100 monofloral varieties and many polyfloral varieties. It allows honey producers and distributors to check for purity, botanical source, country of origin, and identify atypical profiles for further investigation. As a high-value food product, honey is particularly vulnerable to economically motivated adulteration (EMA), which can impact the entire value chain, not only influencing consumer trust but potentially damaging the reputation of honey producers or resellers. The rapid and comprehensive Honey-Profiling 3.0 screening tool, based on NMR spectroscopy, evaluates honey identity and authenticity in one reliable, push-button method under full automation. It analyses the honey sample’s 1H-NMR spectrum and identifies specific components that make up its unique ‘fingerprint’, comparing it to the carefully curated honey reference database. The new NMR Honey-Profiling module includes additional geographical and varietal markers, which further strengthen the detection of adulterations, such as the presence of sugar syrup or low-cost honey sources. The NMR Honey-Profiling 3.0 module is the latest step in Bruker’s continued effort to provide the honey industry with a powerful tool to maintain sustainable and fair business, and to defend honey’s reputation as a natural healthy food product.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

SUPPLIER NEWS Grupo Bimbo sells technology subsidiary Kanan Smart Solution to Mekitec Group

U.S – Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican multinational company with a presence in 33 countries of America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, has divested its baking x-ray technology subsidiary Kanan Smart Solution to food quality control system manufacturer Mekitec Group, a leading manufacturer of X-ray food inspection systems in a share transaction. The deal includes a software development team and local sales and service operations in Mexico. Grupo Bimbo has been using Mekitec’s x-ray systems powered with Kanan’s software solutions in its bakeries for five years. Raul Obregon, chief information and

transformation officer at Grupo Bimbo said their company has a relentless commitment to quality and not only want to adopt the best technology for quality assurance out there, but also partnerships that allow them to cocreate the future of food inspection with top technology developers. Ensuing the share transaction, 22

Grupo Bimbo’s venture arm Bimbo Ventures will become a significant shareholder of Mekitec and will support the Finnish company in accelerating its growth. “AI IS TRANSFORMING FOOD INSPECTION AND ENABLING OUR CUSTOMERS TO DELIVER EVER BETTER PRODUCTS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. WE’RE EXCITED THAT TOGETHER WITH MEKITEC, WE’LL BE ONE OF THE CREATORS OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF INSPECTION, STARTING WITH BAKING,”

Kanan Smart Solution focuses on the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and x-ray inspection technology to detect foreign objects and assure the safety of bakery products. “AI is transforming food inspection and enabling our customers to deliver ever better products to their customers. We’re excited that together with Mekitec, we’ll be one of the creators of the next generation of inspection, starting with baking,” Pablo Sánchez, CEO of Kanan and principal at Bimbo Ventures, expressed. Based in Finland, Mekitec provides food quality control systems for individual food production lines based on x-ray technologies, serving customers in a variety of industries including bakery, confectionery, dairy, frozen food and meat.

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Endress+Hauser, Hahn-Schickard create joint venture to develop technology for fast molecular analyses GERMANY- Endress+Hauser, a swissbased laboratory and automation equipment supplier, have formed an alliance with Hahn-Schickard, a wellknown research and development (R&D) provider in microsystem technology, to establish a facility aimed at enabling rapid, on-site molecular analyses for the detection of bacterial or viral contamination in water and beverages, genetic modifications in food or contaminated milk so as to heighten food safety. The facility named Endress+Hauser BioSense GmbH will be based in Freiburg, Germany with Endress+Hauser being the majority shareholder (75 percent) and the remaining 25 percent being held by Hahn-Schickard. The R&D service provider, Hahn Schickard, already has a close working relationship with the University of Freiburg’s Department of Microsystems Engineering where they have teamed up in the development of portable and rapid diagnostic test instrumentation for the determination of minute concentrations of infectious pathogens. The joint venture is now aiming to transfer this technology from the field of medical diagnostics to industrial process and laboratory automation applications. In the development of equipment and methods for molecular analyses for process and laboratory environments, Endress+Hauser BioSense will be working closely with IST Innuscreen GmbH in Berlin, which is also part of the Endress+Hauser Group. IST Innuscreen offers a broad portfolio of nucleic acid isolation and molecular diagnostics products and among other things supplies kits and assays for PCR diagnostics. The new company will be headed by Dr Nicholas Krohn, who has in-depth knowledge and experience in the field of food analysis.

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RizePoint debuts Platform Ignite for Supplier Certification Management

SINGAPORE - RizePoint, a technology leader in food safety, quality management, compliance, and social responsibility, has launched their innovative new product platform Ignite, a trailblazing software tool for quality managers. The first offering on this new platform is a user-friendly, affordable Supplier Certification Management solution. Ignite Supplier Certification Management allows companies to gather, organize, and manage supplier documentation and information in a centralized location, track status and deadlines, ensure compliance, and reduce time-consuming administrative tasks. “IGNITE SUPPLIER CERTIFICATION IS A SMART, AFFORDABLE SOLUTION TO KEEP SUPPLIER DOCUMENTATION UP-TO-DATE, TRACK STATUS, REDUCE RISK, AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE,”

“RizePoint, the longest-lasting quality management vendor in the marketplace, is offering a simplified solution to manage supplier documents. We’re disrupting traditional market software, making it easy and affordable for small-to-mid-sized organizations to use and compete with larger companies. Ignite Supplier Certification is a smart, affordable solution to keep supplier documentation up-to-date, FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

SCS Consulting Services ventures into food safety consultancy

track status, reduce risk, and ensure compliance,” said RizePoint President Kari Hensien. Ignite Supplier Certification key features include the ability to view suppliers at-a-glance. Users can quickly see task and certification status for all suppliers or drill down to view by

supplier, location, and material. It also enables one to upload and organize an unlimited number of certifications, documents, and photos, to easily access critical information in real-time. The new platform permits the setting of reminders and task status tracking thus allowing one to get a clear view on task status and deadlines, and instantly confirm whether key tasks have been completed to ensure compliance and reduce risk. For 22+ years, RizePoint has offered quality management software solutions that help companies keep brand promises through their quality, safety, and compliance efforts.

U.S – SCS Consulting Services, a leading provider of sustainability, food safety and quality solutions, has announced the launch of its new food safety consultancy to support corporations in navigating the international food safety regulatory landscape as well as the ever-growing body of industry- and consumer-based food and food safety certification programs. A subsidiary of SCS Global Services, SCS Consulting Services has added food safety to its expanding list of sustainability consulting services. Built on a team of food industry experts with more than 30 years of food safety, quality and GFSI schemes experience as well as expertise in working within all sectors in the food industry, from primary producers to retailers, the food safety consultancy will offer a wide range of services spanning regulatory requirements including Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance and supply chain management to crisis response support and food defense. The SCS food safety consulting team’s expertise reaches deep into diverse food sectors including but not limited to outdoor and indoor plant production, food and beverage manufacturing, dietary supplements, cannabis, and distribution and retail. They are well versed in Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) schemes, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), as well as HACCP analysis and planning.

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OLIVADO: Leading the pack on sustainable growing, packaging and processing of avocadoes for international markets Based in Muranga county, Kenya, Olivado EPZ Ltd is the leading packer of fresh avocado fruits and avocado oil for export markets around the World. In this feature, we talk to Peter Mwangi, the General Manager of the company and Judith Okumu, the Packhouse Manager, as they give us an extensive insight into how they build capacity of small-holder farmers, manage food safety and quality and the sustainable way they run their business

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By Catherine Odhiambo

ight at the onset of the 21st century, in a small New Zealand town known as Kerikeri, Gary Hannam and others pioneered cold-pressed extraction method for extra virgin avocado oil, resulting in the healthiest, tastiest, and purest oil on the market - giving rise to Olivado. With the expansion of the company came about the demand for more avocados, the chief raw material, putting a strain on New Zealand’s production capacity. This saw the company start searching for newer grounds and eventually the company’s CEO Gary Hannam, made a bold move of setting up a new branch in a foreign country, Kenya, in 2007. Olivado set up the first plant in Nairobi’s Mombasa Road but later shifted to an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Murang’a county, Kenya’s leading avocado producer, near Nairobi – Olivado moved closer to the farmers, marking the birth of Olivado EPZ Ltd (OEPZ). Olivado is one of the world’s largest suppliers of organic fair-trade extra virgin avocado oil. The company sells its unique products to 33 countries in the World – operating a social impact value chain that integrates smallholder farmers who benefit from the company’s extensive value chain. COMPANY OPERATIONS IN KENYA Olivado has a database of around 5000 farmers, with about 3500 being active now. It operates in 12 counties in Kenya that are the key agro-ecological zones that predominantly grow avocados. Central Kenya, comprising of Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a and Embu counties, accounts for more than 60% of the country’s total avocado production. However, the company has also ventured into other counties like Bungoma, Bomet, Trans Nzoia and currently eyeing other western Kenya counties. The company’s Murang’a location has two plants: a fresh produce pack house which can handle 6 tonnes of fresh avocados per hour and an oil extraction facility, which processes 4 tonnes of fruit per hour. “This means that the company can receive 150 tonnes in a day. However, when it comes to fruits for oil extraction, ripening must be done. The fruit has to be stored in special ripening rooms,” says Peter Mwangi, General Manager. To this end, the company has invested

in ripening rooms that are the backbone to getting quality avocados for high quality extra virgin oil. The company’s cold rooms and ripening facilities can accommodate 400 metric tonnes of fruits at a time. Smooth seas have never made perfect sailors, and as with every journey, Olivado has had its fair share of snowballs thrown at it. The demand for avocado has been rising over the years, with more export orders both for the oil and fresh fruit, thus creating a snag in terms of sourcing quality fruit to meet the rising demand. Mwangi informed Food Safety Africa that avocados in Kenya have two key annual harvesting seasons: March to July, which is the main crop and the shorter crop season that runs from November to December depending on the off and on season. To mitigate the seasonal availability of the produce, the company has decided to broaden its geographical coverage to have some fruits coming in slightly earlier than the present and others later - to provide an extended processing time of about 6 months in the year. The company has also faced challenges regarding the quality of the fresh fruits, as some farmers lack information on how to manage the avocado trees. The fresh avocado market has specific standards outlined for export of the fruits into the European market, which most farmers fail to comply with. An example is the GLOBALG.A.P. which as a company, Olivado must ensure its contracted farmers adhere to. Olivado runs one of the most modern fresh produce and oil extraction factories in the region. At the packhouse, the avocadoes undergo a water-less cleaning process that removes any extraneous matter. The use of brushing equipment, as opposed to utilizing water, ensures that the final product is maintained in its natural state to meet the stringent organic standards. The fruits then enter the automatic grading tunnel, where each fruit is graded in terms of size and weight automatically as they roll within the tunnel, with each grade of fruits getting selected into their specific sections. Packaging into the carton boxes is done by hand by the employees – who also monitor the fruits for visual conformity. At the avocado oil processing section, the ripe fruits are sorted and then undergo washing, destoning and pulping steps. The pulp then goes through

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COMPANY PROFILE: Olivado EPZ Ltd gentle heating to release the oil from the pulp. The separated oil goes through decanting and polishing to produce cold pressed oil. Quality control at the packhouse include testing for dry matter content for each batch of avocado fruits received. The team also checks for several observable physical defects such as late wind damage, lenticel damage, sun burn and insect and mechanical damages. According to Judith Okumu, the company’s Packhouse Manager, traceability is a critical requirement for their certifications, with each carton having details such as the type of fruit, whether the fruits are conventional or organic, date of harvest, year and month, batch number and the size and weight of the fruit. The fresh fruits are packaged in 4 kg and 10 kg packages, with fruit size ranging from size 12 to 32. ENSURING FARM TO FORK QUALITY As the leading avocado processor and packer, Mwangi acknowledges that what separates out Olivado from the rest of the players in the country is the extensive quality and food safety system they have in place that ensures that the produce meets the firm’s quality requirements – while having a collaborative approach to the way they work with farmers to build their capacity and knowledge. “At Olivado, we are proud of our food safety and quality management system, as it is the key driver of our operations, allowing us to trade with customers around the World. By working with smallholder farmers right from the field to build their capacity, to ensuring that operations in the factory and the entire value chain are as per international standards, our customers are assured of safe, nutritious and high-quality avocado fruits and oils every time they eat or use our products,” says Judith. To recruit farmers, the company’s team of agronomists/technical officers identify farmers in the growing areas, followed by a training exercise on organic farming, GLOBALG.A.P. and Fair for Life standards. Fair for Life standard is a social accountability standard that ensures the value chain complies to fair and legal operations focusing on worker’s needs. The company trains the farmers on organic practices to control weeds, deal with pests and diseases. It also shows them how to carry out pruning, which opens the trees and reduces disease infestation. Among the field team, the

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company has field liaison officers who stay within the farming community to make follow ups on all the farm activities. To seal the deal, Olivado signs contracts with the individual farmers and later carries out verification of the status of the farms to ensure compliance. The verifications are done by third parties for organic farming and GLOBALG.A.P., who send their auditors. Each farmer gets a GLOBALG.A.P number or Organic certification number. As the harvesting season approaches, Olivado prepares to take in the fruit, beginning by assessing the fruit’s maturity by taking samples from various locations. The company uses the Decision Support Tool (DST), which predicts with accuracy, of fruit maturity, depending on the geographical location. Results from the DST exercise is supplemented by field teams that take samples to verify dry matter content through physical tests at the factory. “During harvesting we have pickers, gatherers and weighers. The pickers are

At Olivado, we are proud of our food safety and quality management system, as it is the key driver of our operations, allowing us to trade with customers around the World.

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particular farmer or location.

The management team of Olivado trained on how to pick the correct fruit with the correct dry matter content. We train them on the visual features that meet quality requirements for the export market. We also train the gatherers on how to handle and then weigh the fruit,” explains the Packhouse Manager. The company uses color coded crates to enable traceability and trains relevant personnel on how to decode them. To curb post-harvest losses, the fruit is picked in a highly controlled, hygienic manner and transported in safe and secure trucks, which must be inspected before leaving the premises. Harvesting poles are used during picking to minimize bruising. Farmers are issued with a delivery note and the fruits loaded straight onto the truck after taking the weights, with real time weights registered into the company’s server. Once the trucks arrive at the factory, the weight is verified, each delivery forms a specific Control Number – a unique number that is used to track and trace fruits from a

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CERTIFICATIONS TO QUENCH MARKET DEMANDS The GM reveals that to meet the stringent customer requirements for the export market, the company has got several certifications to accomodate the diverse requirements of the markets it serves. One such certification is the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), a globally recognized and pioneering standard for the improvement of ethical practices throughout the supply chain. The company has also acquired the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Certification, meant for the UK market and focuses on food safety issues in the factory. Germany and the other countries use the International Food Standards (IFS), while the GLOBALG.A.P. standards have a broader view of the agricultural practices in terms of the chemicals being used. Organic certification is by Ecocert, focusing on organic practices. The other certifications include FFL Kosher and Halal. All these standards are sustained through internal audits and external audits by third parties. “We can go the extra mile of getting certified to more standards, depending on the customer requirement,” informs Judith. Mwangi informs us that with the confluence of increasing trend of westernization of food patterns and acceptance of different cuisines, along with burgeoning middleclass population, the consumption of avocado is rising across the globe. The nutritional and health benefits associated with the consumption of avocado is also driving its demand. Avocado, is termed as a super fruit, is rich in oleic acid, its known to reduce cholesterol, improves heart health, acts as an antioxidant, improves the skin, enhances wound healing and neutralizes free radicals associated with cancers. Olivado’s products are exported into over 33 countries globally, with the key markets being Europe, USA and the UK. He revealed that the US market alone consumes about 50% of the world’s avocadoes, with Europe taking 40% and the rest of the world sharing the 10%. “In the next 5 years, there will be a reversal of market trends. The US will still take 50%, but due to the population increase in Asia, the region will move from 10% to 40%, an immense increase. We’re seeing a shift in demand and more

KEY NUMBERS

10%

THE AMOUNT OF EXTRA VIRGIN AVOCADO OIL RECOVERED AFTER EXTRACTION.

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COMPANY PROFILE: Olivado EPZ Ltd

uptake of avocados in Asia, as we get more and more enlightened about this key market,” he comments.

With this program, we are offering professional and technical assistance to potential starters or ongoing productive avocado orchards in Kenya.

CHALLENGES HINDER KENYAN AVOCADO CROP Mwangi reveals that Kenya’s major international competitor in the export of avocado in the world is Peru. The avocados season in both countries are similar, considering that both countries straddle the equator. However, he is saddened that Peruvian avocado produce is preferred to the Kenyan one in the export markets due to better quality attributes on taste and physical aesthetics. “Peruvian farmers harvest better matured fruits, they ripen properly and have fewer incidences of rotting after harvesting, thanks to the stringent controls on their value chain by the stakeholders and government agencies in the country, as opposed to Kenya. In Kenya we lack adequate control and enforcement of the rules set by the Horticulture Crops Directorate (HCD) under the Agriculture & Food Authority (AFA). We have good laws and

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regulations under the Crops Act No. 16 of 2013 and HCD regulations 2020 but we have failed to follow them.” He explains that maturity in avocados is measured by checking on the dry matter content, which also reflects on the oil content of the fruit - an immature fruit has low oil content and doesn’t ripen well, but rots and if it does, has an off-taste, he explains. He calls for the intervention by the regulatory bodies and all stake holders to mitigate the quality challenges in the avocado sector, adding that the regulatory bodies must mandate the harvesting time, which impacts the quality of fruit. “The agencies should stop the harvesting of immature fruit and withhold export permits if the quality is poor. The minimum dry matter should be at 23% instead of the current 20% for fresh exports for the Hass variety.” Mwangi says that the other challenge to the sector is the rampant theft of fruit at the farms. “This is posing a serious threat to the industry, as farmers and plantations are losing tonnes of fruit to thieves. We estimate that this year alone our farmers lost 25% of their

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Olivado has two digesters that can process 3000 m3 of biogas per day potential income due to theft, which translates to close to KSH. 2 billion (US$ 20 million). This loss on investments, if not eliminated, will lead to a collapse of the avocado value chain in the country,” the GM warns. To mitigate this issue, he advices that HCD should enforce traceability of fruits and improve accountability at all the packhouse operations in the country. The authority should also regulate all buyers to ensure they each operates within HCD guidelines as regards licensing and proof of purchase of fruits, while county governments should step in and regulate the transporters and operation of packhouses. Amidst all these downsides, Mwangi is confident that there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Kenya, as the exporters are working together through various forums and with the government to solve the two major issues. “Kenya is at an advantage as our small-scale farmers can practice organic farming, which our major competitors, such as Peru, cannot do effectively. We can work on this strength and dominate this niche market segment and take advantage of the organic avocado

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market which is growing at double digits per year because people have realized the health benefits in organic consumption. To further enhance the growth of the sector, Olivado has a thriving avocado seedlings nursery at its factory. The nursery produces high health certified seedlings which the firm sells to its farmers at subsidized rates. “We train the farmers on how to plant and manage the young trees till production. This forms the key starting point to ensuring that we have a reliable supply chain. We have seen a lot of road-side seedlings from nurseries that provide diseased seedlings infected with Phytophthora Cinnamoni, a root rot that can destroy the entire plantation. There is also the big risk of getting off type seedlings or nontrue to type Hass variety avocados from other nurseries.” Olivado has noted a significant gap in the knowledge of how to establish and manage avocado orchards for large scale investors and has filled the gap by providing bespoke special training and exposure to potential farmers who are entering the sector in droves. “With this program, we are offering professional and technical assistance to potential starters or ongoing productive avocado orchards in Kenya. Through this initiative, we reduce the risk or the anxiety for those engaging in the venture. We further guarantee offtakes for all the avocados produced at the orchards that we manage,” reports Mwangi. Olivado has made a lot of strides in Central Kenya, where it started its journey and is making big strides in Western Kenya, for example in Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisii and Trans Nzoia, with intentions to grow further into the entire western and lake regions.

We can go the extra mile of getting certified to more standards, depending on the customer requirement.

INIMITABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Conventionally, a company’s waste is usually a minute part of the raw materials received. Well, when it comes to avocado extra virgin oil processing, a whole 90% of the fruit turns out as waste. Only the pulp is processed into oil, the skin and the stone are discarded. Well, with the unrelenting drive to break the status quo and develop anew where few have dared to go, Olivado is leading the way in the avocado industry with their approach to regeneration, sustainability and embracing waste-to-energy technology.

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COMPANY PROFILE: Olivado EPZ Ltd “Once the fruits are ripe and ready for oil extraction, we only recover 10% as extra virgin oil, meaning that 90% is not being used. That poses a very big challenge, and we must deal with the 90% waste,” Mwangi notifies Food Safety Africa. The skin, the residue pulp and black water from the oil extraction, contain plenty of organic matter, which the company converts into biogas. It has 2 digesters with capacity to process about 3000 m3 of biogas. “We are self-reliant in terms of our factory’s power requirements by our 450 KW gas generators.That takes care of our waste, and the waste takes care of us,” voices the GM. He explained that the stone is also crushed and mixed with the pulp to generate biogas, but the company takes it a step further to use it as a bio-fertilizer termed ‘Avogrow’. Avogrow is a mixture of the crushed stones with rock phosphate to form an organic fertilizer. The company sells the bio-fertilizer back to the farmers at subsidized prices. Indeed, necessity is the mother of invention. “The Avogrow is a good soil conditioner as it has organic content in it. Avogrow rejuvenates soil that has been continually cultivated, aiding further fertilizer application to give better crop quality,” he says. Mwangi informs that at the biogas digester, they have a waste stream that releases about 30,000 cubic litres in a day. The company is in the process of installing a drier to separate the digestate and obtain high quality organic fertilizer. The liquid produced will be used an organic foliar feed at the farming communities it works with. Further, the company has kicked off plans to adopt the use of biogas trucks, with the aim of achieving 100% transition to renewable power source for all its fruit collection vehicles, to be fueled by natural gas - filled with the excess methane gas produced from the biogas plant. He explains that biogas is a perfect solution for treating the organic waste from the factory, as it offers a renewable substitute to costly and unreliable grid electricity. “In this way we are actually carbon positive and the first player in the avocado sector in Kenya that has achieved a circular economy value chain,” says Mwangi. When the biogas plant generators are fully running, the plant produces 475 KW of power. The firm has also installed two gas stream generators, one has a capacity of 350 KW and the other one 125 KW, meeting all their power

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requirements. HELPING FARMERS TO THRIVE Olivado has bolstered the livelihoods among its contracted farmers through increased income from avocado production, which has enabled them to construct decent residential houses, purchase and maintain livestock such as dairy cows, educate their children and increase their acreage under production through the purchase of extra land for avocados and other crops. The firm pays advance payment to its farmers, helping them meet their immediate needs and emergencies such as hospital bills and school fees – schools open when farmers have no income, with many risking failing to take their children to school. Mwangi adds that Olivado works hand in hand with their field teams to solve the farmers knowledge gaps on crop management. They alert the farmers when

We are self-reliant in terms of our factory’s power requirements by our 450 KW gas generators. That takes care of our waste, and the waste takes care of us. FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

ALL STAKEHOLDERS MUST ENSURE QUALITY The GM believes that every avocado industry player should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards. He stated that the government and exporters have an obligation to the farmers to put in place stringent regulations that will impede entry of every Tom, Dick and Harry into the sector. “We must get our act together as exporters and the government agencies because we need to regulate the industry. We need to create rules that will ensure that we don’t have premature fruits going out of this country at all. Once done, we can assure you that the farmer will benefit from better prices. Let us have measures of traceability so that as a container leaves this country, we should be knowing where the fruit has come from,” he utters. He urged Kenya to adopt the Peruvian way, where avocados not meeting export standards leads to a revoke of an exporter’s license.

Olivado’s Packhouse utilises latest technology to clean and grade the avocado fruits in an efficient and safe manner

KEY NUMBERS

23% MINIMUM DRY MATTER CONTENT REQUIRED FOR FRESH AVOCADO EXPORTS.

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to carry out all crop management activities to ensure high yielding, disease-free crops. They also give accident insurance cover to loyal farmers who have supplied the company with their full harvest. Given that the age limit for most insurance companies is below 70 years, Olivado has negotiated with insurance companies to permit farmers above this bracket to be insured, setting itself apart from other companies. Food Safety Africa talked with one of the farmers, Elias Kimani Guchu, who has worked with Olivado for the past 13 years. He expressed his satisfaction in working with the company citing, that Olivado pays them well and on time. “Olivado has field officers who come up to the grassroot level to train us on how to farm using manure from our household waste. The company offers us advance payments, which enable us to weed our avocado farms,” says Elias.

MIRRORING INTO THE FUTURE Peter foresees a bright future for the avocado industry in Kenya and the broader region. He informs Food Safety Africa that he hopes to see Olivado having a greater impact on the farmers through its investments and work in the sector. “What moves us and gives us that feel good feeling is when a farmer stands up and says, ‘Were it not for Olivado, I couldn’t have educated my children. Were it not for Olivado, I wouldn’t have built this house!’ It gives us a very good feeling when we hear satisfied farmers because they have been with us through the years.” The company looks forward to cutting down production costs, with the savings ploughed back to the farmers. The company’s ambition has seen it venture into the mango market in Embu and Tharaka Nithi as it seeks to complement the avocado season. It is further exploring setting up a mango processing unit for drying the pulp into powder that can be used in confectionery or ready-made drinks. On the avocado side, the company has been part of developing avocado growing in the western Kenya region, where they plan to set up a packhouse soon. So, as production expands and mouths around the world need feeding, the Olivado EPZ story looks set to continue well into the future.

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Matlou Setati Role of CGCSA In Boosting Food Safety In South Africa 32

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By Francis Juma

iven the complexity of the food sector, ensuring safe food requires concerted efforts between key stakeholders, including Public-Private Partnership (PPP) platforms. Partnerships can accelerate the food safety process and serve as a win-win situation for the industry, competent authorities and consumers. To this end, Food Safety Africa Magazine had a discussion with Matlou Setati, the Executive, Food Safety at the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa, on the role CGCSA plays in boosting food safety in South Africa at the Africa Food Safety & Quality Summit 2021. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CONSUMER GOODS COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA (CGCSA) AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES IT IS INVOLVED IN? SETATI: CGCSA is aligned to the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), which brings together key stakeholders in the consumer goods industry, at the global level. In South Africa, most of the multi-nationals that are sitting as members of the association are also members of the CGF. The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa is one of the many industry associations in South Africa, but what differentiates us from the rest of is that the other associations are sector focused. We look at the entire food value chain - currently we have retail industry members, manufacturing members plus certification bodies that mainly deal with laboratory testing, chemicals and risks analysis and all issues related to food safety. We almost welcome everyone because we realized that you can’t be a know-it-all; you need to utilize the strengths of the value chain to ensure that whatever is missing, there will be someone to answer to that. Our key mandate is we advocate for the sector, we represent them,

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we lobby on their behalf as regards to whatever issues impact them - our tagline goes by “helping members trade better.” Food safety is one of the divisions at CGCSA – which looks at issues pertaining to food safety, quality, nutrition and of late, food loss and waste. WHY HAS CGCSA PLACED A MAJOR FOCUS ON FOOD SAFETY? SETATI: Generally, food safety is taken as less of a critical thing, but as people in this field, we know that food safety is a pivotal thing. If anything goes wrong in terms of food safety, a lot of issues get affected. We are guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals - we know that food safety is not specifically spoken to in those goals even though it has bits and pieces here and there, but if you look at food security, food safety is the pillar, if you look at food nutrition, food safety is the pillar. For supply chains to function we need to maintain food safety. As an association, we do not shy away from talking about issues such as the Listeriosis outbreak in South Africa - that brings the aspect of saying, as the WHO and FAO would say, ‘food safety is everyone’s responsibility.’ In the work we do whether engaging with government or research bodies - the critical thing that needs to happen is that at some point, we need the leadership and I think government and the private sector in their individual spaces have perfected the processes and put the systems in place. However, as leadership, we need to find a place where we can get to recognize that food safety, for as long as it is not given the recognition and the policy support - if there is no policy direction and focus at a very high level – it will fail. It is quite critical to have food safety at a very high level, for everyone to take it seriously. That inspiration goes down to the consumers to say, “I also have a responsibility to maintain food safety in my household.” We haven’t gotten

that level of detail to most of our consumers. YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT LISTERIOSIS, TELL US ABOUT THIS OUTBREAK. HOW DID IT CHANGE THE INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA? SETATI: Well, it was quite a difficult time because in terms of the spread it was quite big but if we look at the level of detail as to how many companies were affected, we only have that segregated one point that we looked at. However, in South Africa its evident we pride ourselves with the regulatory framework that we currently have. We’ve got an abundance to choose from; both the South Africa Bureau of Standards and the technical regulators have standards on food safety. “OUR KEY MANDATE IS WE ADVOCATE FOR THE SECTOR, WE REPRESENT THEM, WE LOBBY ON THEIR BEHALF AS REGARDS TO WHATEVER ISSUES IMPACT THEM - OUR TAGLINE GOES BY “HELPING MEMBERS TRADE BETTER.”

There is vast research in terms of what we need to do, we know what we need to do, and this then goes back to the issue of a food safety culture in each facility, and that leadership role to say it needs to start from the head. We need to lead by example so that it filters down to each level - everyone needs to ensure that they understand why they need to do this. I find it quite amazing sometimes when someone steps out of a factory because the quality manager is no longer there, they seem to forget that even in their own household, food safety continues. I think it’s the holistic education that we need to look at to make sure that people understand, and this is the start of it, where people can get an opportunity to talk and hear about these things so that it is in our lifestyles. Nonetheless, in all of that, as South Africa we have learned a lot with everything that happened during

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EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW : Matlou Setati it. If they opt to go towards merging of regulatory agencies to have a single food safety agency, they will have to do their risk-based assessment for the best option to be taken. Regarding the meat sector, where we had the Listeriosis outbreak, each company in the sector in South Africa must have a HACCP system in place now, which was not there previously. Other sectors like peanut and peanut products processors have also been mandated to have such in place. So, they have moved a step up from the minimum requirements of food safety and hygiene and to them having a HACCP compliance now.

the Listeriosis outbreak, and we can’t say the system is perfect - no system is perfect. We keep advancing in terms of working with the government and other stakeholders in order to put everything in place. However, before we can talk about the regulatory framework, it’s upon us, the people in the field, to always do the right things. We can have the best regulatory systems, frameworks and understanding, but if we don’t do what is right, then we will end up in that situation again. There’s always been calls in South Africa to have one food safety agency that will focus solely on the food safety aspects and that this could possibly bring about effective and efficient enforcement. It’s a whole lot of things we have learnt, and we are taking the outbreak as a learning option because from the onset in South Africa, the food sector is highly regulated. Therefore, we wouldn’t say the needle has moved, we have maybe

improved in our systems over and above what we have learned from the one company that had the mishap about food safety. But I think we’ve got the right things in place; we just need to adopt the right food safety culture and make sure that everything is done in the correct manner. IS THERE ANY NEED TO CHANGE THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA? SETATI: My colleagues around in the world would understand that there isn’t a single system that could work. You need to then analyze, do an assessment in your own country in accordance with the guidance that we get from the WHO and so forth, to determine in terms of the way you work, because currently we do have a fragmented system. We’ve got various organizations or government departments that deal with food safety, but the recommendations are there, our government knows about

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ARE THERE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU DO IN TERMS OF PANAFRICAN TRADE ISSUES WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP? SETATI: Indeed, that’s a critical one because there are opportunities, not only for South Africa but for Africa as a whole. CGCSA sits at the body that brings together the community, labor, business and government in one place in order to make sure that all the processes get streamlined. We know what the other countries are offering in terms of the tariff reductions and all the regulatory frameworks that might have been in place, but I think what is critical in terms of the Africa Free Trade and Continental Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is that for as long as there are silos in the language that we use in communicating with each other as Africa, we are not going to move a needle. We will have the tariff side being sorted but still when it comes to the technical barriers, we still might have huge challenges and hoops to jump. Let’s look for instance at the quality side where there’s issues pertaining to certificate of sale, the GMO requirements that we have in Africa. We haven’t even spoken about food safety, even though we know globally in terms of the technical aspects we all align to the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) in the benchmarks

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and food safety management systems that get implemented. So, we need to get to that level of saying, as Africa what is our harmonization strategy in all the technical regulations that we will be trading with each other? We can name the rules of origin and how we trade in terms of the business that are in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa. So, all those nitty-gritty details that we tend to forget about in our engagements on AfCFTA, I find them as a huge challenge if we don’t pin them down. If you look at the organizations like ARSO, where we all gather in terms of aligning with technical regulations, if those processes are not solidified and we’re talking from the same voice then we might face challenges. We have a lot of challenges with the certificate of free sale in South Africa where it is required but there is no legal entity that can provide that assurance, because there needs to be equivalence in terms of your technical regulations but all those small details in terms of our trading could hamper the level of implementation of the African trade. In terms of trade relations, we work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT ALL THIS SURGE IN EXPORTS AND REGIONAL TRADE, NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT COLLABORATIONS WITH THE REST OF THE CONTINENT. WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND COLLABORATING WITH THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS LIKE YOURSELVES IN AFRICA? SETATI: CGCSA holds the license for GS1, the global standards in terms of the supply chain efficiencies, the barcode issuances. We operate in terms of the member organizations that currently exist globally, so, in that space in terms of GS1 principles and processes, that setup is already in place in terms of the member organizations that we work with. From a lobbying and advocacy side, as CGCSA we already have industry

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associations as members. We just need to have a coordinating role of getting the industry associations at an African level to unite and form a structure. We have done a few projects with the NEPAD Business Foundation, We have gotten great value in collaborating at that level because with the issues pertaining to GMO, the certificate of origin, and certificate of free sale, we can then post them at a SADC level through those processes with the NEPAD Business Foundation and the SADC Business Council to say, “Let’s present this at the broader government structures”, because these are issues that pertain to the business sector. When engaging with the members, we have got companies that are operating all over Africa and they appreciate the relevance of the work that CGCSA is doing and other industries associations, but they are pushing us in that direction to say, “You need to make this happen.” We haven’t really unlocked that, and this is just my call - we are available in all ways for strategic collaborations across Africa because as I said when I started, it is us who need to do it and make it happen. We are always open to engage with the various industry sector associations and across Africa because we share common challenges and take the message to our various governments, we will find all those alignments and harmonization in all matters that we deem important for the sector. HOW IS THE RETAIL SYSTEM IN SOUTH AFRICA STRUCTURED AND WHAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REST OF THE CONTINENT TO STREAMLINE COMPLIANCE IN THESE OTHER EMERGING SECTORS, RETAIL INCLUDING CAFES? SETATI: Let me utilize the emphasis from the sustainable development goals which says, “In everything that we do for us to remain sustainable we need not leave no one behind”. I think research is out there, we

“WE WILL HAVE THE TARIFF SIDE BEING SORTED BUT STILL WHEN IT COMES TO THE TECHNICAL BARRIERS, WE STILL MIGHT HAVE HUGE CHALLENGES AND HOOPS TO JUMP.”

know that the economy is not going to solely depend on the big businesses, and this is the critical area that we have embarked on as CGCSA. We need to groom small and informal businesses to make sure that they are aware of the minimum that they need to do in respect to compliance. We have got programs in place that are geared to ensure that such businesses exist and flourish because they are feeding into the system. I can tell you that when Covid started and the supply chain was disrupted and the informal sector was closed because they were not regarded as essential at some point, which was a gap in my view, that affected the bulk of the flow of products into various other places, because when we look at retail, retail will not exist everywhere. I come from a rural place, which does not have a formal retail and I have embarked on a study to determine whether these informal shops are adding value, and if they need the education to ensure that they’ve got diverse products in their own establishments, because not everywhere will be feasible financially to have a formal retailer. So, we need not disregard those mamas that are selling on the side of the street. They are helping in moving the supply from the bigger side of the sector. The level of detail might not be suitable so everything that we put in place needs to be dedicated to a specific audience because I don’t see the informal or small businesses ever disappearing. There needs to be a balance in terms of how we operate so that the system is not unsustainable. So, in my view, it is the support that we give to those structures from the government and the private sector, as they are pivotal as revealed by the Covid pandemic.

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Vivian Ochieng’ – Quality Assurance Manager – Artcaffe Coffee & Bakery 36

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By Francis Juma DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT ROLE, KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE MOST CRITICAL DELIVERABLES. My role primarily is to ensure that when a guest indulges in our food, it is safe and meets their expectations. This involves rigorous safe practices at the back office - all the way from sourcing of raw materials, receiving, processing/production, storage and dispatch. My key responsibilities are summarized into three functions: • To ensure the raw materials received meet our set standards • To ensure staff handling the food are competent and are proactive in safe food handling practices. This is achieved by continuous capacity building and in-house food safety audits. • To ensure the final products are verified against set standards to guarantee safety and quality. At the end of it all, the efficiency in my role is evaluated based on customer feedback/or complaints, Food Safety Management System (FSMS) audit performance (both in-house and 3rd party), Prerequisite Program (PRP) audits performance, compliance audits performance and staff assessment feedback. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL SETS IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN YOUR ROLE? To be successful in this role, one needs to have in-depth knowledge on food safety requirements and be able interpret standards/ specifications, both local and international, regarding the products handled at the facility/ organization. Secondly, you need to be able to communicate and disseminate information to different levels of staff and other relevant stakeholders to ensure they are competent and are capable to proactively produce safe food and ensure the food handling environment is maintained as required. You also need to be competent enough to objectively conduct an audit, determine root cause for non-conformities, follow up on corrective actions closure and monitor effectiveness of the corrective actions raised. One also needs to to effectively manage different priorities and maintain detail through all tasks. And since this role covers multiple disciplines one must be able to build, lead and win through teams. From the large data generated while monitoring the processes,

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it is imperative for one to have knowledge of statistical analysis and interpretation and to translate this data to gauge the performance of the food safety management system. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY TO THE ROLE YOU ARE CURRENTLY HAVING? HOW HAS YOUR CHILDHOOD AND GROWING UP GUIDED YOUR CHOICE FOR THIS CAREER OPTION? Growing up, I wanted to be a journalist and later, the dream changed into being an engineer. The latter came to be. I started off in machine maintenance in the non-food industry as an intern. My first experience in food processing exposed me to the quality assurance department. At first, it must have been exciting to sample the products, but later my interest into understanding how important this role was, grew. Slight deviation would result in rework, downgrading or disposal which is not sustainable in any organization. This led me to grow my skills in problem solving. I got to know the importance of determining the root cause of any problem, getting the most appropriate corrective action to ensure no recurrence of the non-conformity. I have come to realize that quality assurance is a culture and in food manufacture/handling, if all food handlers are competent and proactive, the world is a safer place. I feel that by being in this profession I will make a positive impact through my contribution as a food safety specialist. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITY, FOOD SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATIONS YOUR COMPANY HAS ACHIEVED? HOW WOULD YOU SAY THESE CERTIFICATIONS HAVE SHAPED UP YOUR COMPANY TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS? Currently, we are certified locally in Kenya on product quality for all pre-packed products by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and internationally against Food Safety Management Systems - ISO 22000:2018. What has gone into place prior to our company achieving these certifications has formed the foundation to achieving a sustainable food safety culture at our workplace. By the time we get audited, proper documentation and awareness at all levels within the organization was key and as much

CURRENT ROLE: QA Manager, Artcaffe Coffee & Bakery COUNTRY: Kenya SECTOR: Hospitality, Restaurant & Catering PREVIOUS ROLES: Assistant Production Manager, Unilever Tea Kenya EDUCATION: Master’s degree in Environment & Natural Resource Management – Africa Nazarene University; Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering – Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology

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EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW : Vivian Ochieng as compliance was realized, the greater win has been having in place a food safety culture that will be sustainable in the long run in the company. With food safety objectives aligned to the company’s strategic plan, we have ensured ownership of the process in all departments leading to continuous improvement over time. HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY ENSURE THAT FOOD SAFETY CULTURE IS INCULCATED WITHIN THE TEAMS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOUR TEAM AND COMPANY FACE IN ENSURING COMPLIANCE THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS? In setting up any system, acceptance of a new way to handle issues takes a toll on the implementation team. It is worse when these systems affect external parties like suppliers who were in existence and now must comply with additional sets of requirements. There is a lot of learning and unlearning, which could be cumbersome to some parties. Documentation and records maintenance were also key challenges for us, since most certifications require proof of compliance to set standards. To create food safety culture in our business, we have embraced the top-down approach where the department heads champion for food safety practices. Top management commitment has been very instrumental in cascading most of the policies, procedures and then through leading by example, we have set the pace for staff, thereby affirming that the right culture is attainable. Aside from that, continuous trainings and reviews have ensured that our staff is competent. During training, emphasis is on the staff to understand the need to have a functional system and their contribution to its success and sustainability. We also benchmark with industries that have functional food safety culture, where we take staff on field trips for them to have firsthand experience. Further, in instances where we get non-conformities, we use the team approach so that we get input from all staff/3rd party concerned. Time to time, we get feedback from staff on any issues which affect the system and use that to improve on the implementation. The needs and expectations of interested parties are normally identified by the staff and top management occasionally reviews these needs and actions as appropriate. Proper communication to all expected parties helps iron out any lapses. Lastly, we reward consistency and good performance which motivates the staff even further to sustain the culture already in existence. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITY, FOOD SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE YOUR COMPANY CHALLENGES ON A REGULAR BASIS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROCESSES YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT RAW MATERIALS, IN-PROCESS AND END PRODUCTS MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS?

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Regulatory bodies have proper outlines/specifications to govern food safety and quality. However, the implementation is a challenge with most local manufacturers. KEBS, for instance, has detailed specifications for most products but still we encounter raw materials that are missing very key information on their labels. Also, some of the products being developed lack a particular specification and we are forced to use a product close to it, which could have distinct features in it. Classic example is on artisanal breads that are sour; the Kenyan standard for bread does not give provision for sour bread. Further, our company has in place stringent measures to ensure compliance to our in-house quality and food safety standards. All suppliers are pre-approved and prior to that they are audited on a set schedule to verify their compliance. Where applicable, a Certificate of Analysis (COA) must accompany the product being supplied. At receiving the raw materials, they are further subjected to quality checks for acceptance or rejection. Every product delivered to our facilities must go through this process. In-house, we monitor the handling, storage conditions, hot holding and cold handling temperatures to ensure they are as per requirements. We also build the capacity of our staff (process owners) and hold them accountable for their actions. Supervision FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

completion of the first cycle of the food safety management system certification. On most days I start off with a site tour - following the process flow from receiving of raw materials, storage, production and dispatch. In the tour I get to verify the checks done, identify any unattended deviations and for the ones attended to, I check the efficacy of the corrections and corrective actions. At this time, I also get to engage with the different process owners on any issues that may have come up - both positive and negative. During the day I make impromptu checks on the different departments, check the quality of the finished products (we have a batch production system) and get to address any non-conformities. My day ends normally in the office where I get to handle paperwork, prepare for training and respond to mails. Since most of our monitoring is online, it is easy to keep track of the Critical Control Points for our operational prerequisites. Occasionally, I get to liaise with 3rd party suppliers, laboratories, compliance/regulatory bodies, top management and the food safety team. I also conduct trainings and audits on set schedules. Often, I liaise with the product development team on product labeling requirements and product approval by the regulatory bodies.

An Artcaffe outlet in Kenya is crucial to serve as a third eye as we could not miss one or two cases of non-conformity. There is complete traceability for all finished products. We submit our products (raw material and final products) to accredited third party laboratories to verify the efficacy of our inhouse processes. We equally conduct environmental and hand swabs as part of our verification activities. We have functional prerequisite programs (PRPs) in place, which is the foundation for all our activities. Our PRPs are aligned to the technical standard ISO/TS 22002-2. We regularly conduct in-house audits to verify compliance to the set policies and procedures. TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND HOW IT FITS IN WITH CAREER GOALS. BRIEFLY, WHAT IS THE TYPICAL DAY LIKE IN YOUR ROLE AND AT YOUR COMPANY? Artcaffe Coffee and Bakery Limited has set out to bring to life a series of high-quality restaurants that offer not only delicious food and exceptional service, but unparalleled ambience too. All these would make no sense if the food on offer was not safe. When I got on board, getting a functional food safety management system was top of my priority. The company’s top management and staff provided an enabling environment to kick-start the process and sustain it to FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS ROLES BEFORE THE CURRENT ONE? HOW IMPORTANT WERE THOSE ROLES IN SHAPING YOUR CURRENT ROLE? I started off as machine maintenance intern and later on I moved to production management. This role was diverse and entailed production planning, people management, work place safety & environment management and quality assurance. It was shift work and I was in charge during the shift. I must say this greatly shaped my path. I was able to get exposure on people management, built my public speaking skills and was able to spearhead projects, identify gaps and address them. I also learnt budgeting and how critical proper planning was, to ensure closure of projects for day to day running of a department. While in this role I inclined towards quality assurance and was the site quality champion. I recall doing a project in liaison with the R&D department that streamlined a critical stage in the production line. I needed such challenges to help me grow and that gave me the push to move to a very new line of work - the hospitality industry. There were huge differences, especially moving from semi automation to human intensive type of product handling, but since I had considerable exposure in people management and systems implementation, the transition was a little smoother. Also having dealt with different skill set of employees, my capacity building strategy was diverse to capture that and within one year of inception the company had attained certification of ISO 22000:2015 and

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EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW : Vivian Ochieng and finally to food safety management. There are constants with all these fields: people management, teamwork, training and capacity building, budgeting, planning, data management and problem solving. These skills set the foundation during my transition. The rest, however, depended on my ability to quickly learn and be able to adapt to the change. Moving from tea processing to the hospitality sector had me shifting from dealing with one product all year round to more than 100 different products per day. I also moved from handling one supplier to more than 100 suppliers, from dry goods handling to hot holding/handling and cold handling/ storage of products. The processes are completely different and it involved a lot of observation, on job engagements, research and benchmarking. Willingness to learn has been key for my growth and coping with change.

was among the first restaurants to attain this international food safety certification in Kenya. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE KEY TURNING POINTS IN YOUR CAREER? HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CHANGE IN CAREER DIRECTION? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE CHANGE? WHAT LESSONS DID YOU DERIVE FROM THIS CHANGE? I think most of us go into tertiary education with very little knowledge of our capabilities and aspirations; ending up studying something because that is what they qualified for or because the course is marketable. I felt like studying engineering would give me an edge in the job market, and it did at the start of my career. I got good exposure while working for multinational companies. Challenge is when you are at a place where systems are in place, your mind kind of settles and if you do not take action, you might not grow. This is what prompted my move. I wanted to start up a system, get it running and sustain it. I shifted from engineering to production management

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WHAT MAKES YOUR ROLE INTERESTING? WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR ROLE? WHAT HAS BEEN THE ROLE OF MENTORS AND FAMILY IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS? The fact that as a food safety professional, I get to liaise with different departments makes the role exciting. Different departments have different issues and from the interactions I have learnt and appreciated their contributions to a safe food supply chain. My greatest joy comes when our staff can point out nonconformities and deal with them without the need to be prompted. This way, customer complaints are reduced, as everything is done right the first time. Also, having feedback sessions with staff and they genuinely express notable positive impact from implementing a functional system is enough motivation to keep doing this. I happen to conduct a lot of trainings and in some of the refresher trainings, a member of staff can volunteer to conduct the training. It is elating when they highlight details and use practical examples to train others as it shows our training sessions are effective. Starting off this journey and having major shifts in my career at some point left me thinking, ‘what am I?’ I was still finding my path. I remember enrolling for my master’s degree in environmental science then later after completion, I realized it was a great mismatch with my passion. I still use the knowledge, though I’m not actively engaged in it. I think if I had mentors at an earlier stage in my career, I would have done my masters in a completely different field. But now, my path is clear. I am thinking of taking my studies at doctorate level to gain in-depth knowledge of food safety, especially in equipment design and how to optimize them for food safety. This has been influenced by mentors that I mostly interact with on the LinkedIn platform. My husband is my number one cheerleader; I remember when we passed the first external audit and he was the first to congratulate me as he understood the amount of

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work that went into achieving it. He encouraged me to open up my consulting firm and he co-sponsored my lead auditor course fee. I have a group of peers; we call each other ‘boss girls’ and they are breaking barriers in different fields. They motivate me a great deal, as I feel I can equally excel in what I do, if I put my mind to it. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN DELIVERING ON YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM? The biggest challenge in my role is that for it to be successful, you need the people to achieve it. You have to win through teams. And since it involves change and breaking the norm, there is always a hard start to the process especially if processes are deemed to run smoothly already. Getting everyone on board to accept the new way of handling issues is not an easy task. Also there is the issue of a functional food safety system not directly translating to profits/cost saving in the short run, and therefore not very lucrative to any investor who wants to optimize operations. This is where top management commitment to the process is critical. Getting them on board to understand the bigger picture is instrumental and it is easier to cascade it down the organization. Same concept is applicable with the rest of the staff, for them not to find it as a bother but rather an efficient and safer way to handle processes. Having a functional system involves a lot of paper work that is cumbersome to most staff. We transitioned to a paperless system which made this easier to input/monitor, retrieve and maintain. It lessens the burden. Bench marking exercises enable the staff to appreciate areas where the system is functional and reckon that it is achievable. And the most common issue is when you have to reject/downgrade/rework an item, you brush shoulders with the different departments. In such circumstances you have to firmly but factually explain the reasons for that and make them understand the repercussions of taking no action. Over time they get to understand the appropriate way of doing it to avoid such scenarios. HOW DO YOU WIND DOWN AFTER A HARD DAY AT WORK? WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL HOBBIES? HOW DO THESE HOBBIES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PERSONNEL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? I find reggae music to be therapeutic and after a tough day, I turn up the volume a little and sing along and at times even dance. My two boys join in the party always and they certainly make it merrier. I love to travel and sample food. I get to appreciate the diversity and I’m keen on policies in place regarding food safety, workplace safety and for establishments with open kitchens - I’m always observing their way of work and I never fail to give feedback. Lately, with food markets trending in most supermarkets, I love to observe their food displays and food handling

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I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT QUALITY ASSURANCE IS A CULTURE AND IN FOOD MANUFACTURE/HANDLING, IF ALL FOOD HANDLERS ARE COMPETENT AND PROACTIVE, THE WORLD IS A SAFER PLACE.

practices. It’s interesting that some grocery stores in these supermarkets have evident food safety management systems in place and I get to learn a lot from the way they attend to me. Whenever I have the chance, I pass on this knowledge even to parties not necessarily involved in food handling. Most recent is where an acquaintance invited me to give a talk to high school students and create awareness on what to look out for as a consumer. There is a huge knowledge gap with most consumers and if more awareness is created, food manufactures will be on toes to ensure they exceed the bare minimum requirements. HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY ASPIRE TO A CAREER CHOICE LIKE YOURS PLAN THEIR JOURNEY? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM TO SUCCEED IN THEIR CAREERS AND LIFE? Well, one must be passionate in what they want to pursue; that way you are able to overcome any challenges that come along your way. Going into college, my career options were limited as I lacked knowledge on the diverse fields in the market. I think it is important for students starting from the lower level (primary school) to get exposure earlier on what they aspire to be or on what they can be later in life. That way, their ambition will be deep rooted and more defined as they journey through their education. Let them attend career fairs, appreciate what it takes to be in their intended profession and check if it aligns with their goals. Passion fuels energy. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR CAREER BEFORE YOU STEP AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY? WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I would like to be work as an international auditor. I have already done my application with the International Register of Certified Auditor (IRCA) at Lead Auditor level. I would like to do more of consulting and 3rd party audits and to build capacity for local restaurants and small & medium food handling establishments by setting up systems that will guarantee food safety in their everyday activities. I would like to inform them that they do not have to attain internationally recognized certification as a result - rather we should create a culture that will make our country safer by giving people access to safe food and food products. I would like to clear that mentality that having a functional food safety culture is an expensive and unsustainable process. I want them to have the bigger picture and that will be my contribution to a safer nation, now and in the long run. SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Hempstone Omondi – Quality Assurance Team Leader, Kenafric Industries Ltd 42

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

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By Francis Juma DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT ROLE, KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE MOST CRITICAL DELIVERABLES. As the QA Team Leader at Kenafric Industries Limited, Nairobi, my key responsibilities are developing, implementing, updating quality & food safety processes and procedures, ensuring root causes to deviations/nonconformances are promptly established and addressed, and acting as a link between quality assurance and other departments. Quality and food safety systems compliance, process excellence, zero defects to the customer and prompt communication are key deliverables in my role. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL SETS IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN YOUR ROLE? Sound knowledge of quality and food safety (when, where, and how to use such information), analysis and good decision making, leadership and resilience. This role technically ensures quality and food safety systems are established, implemented, monitored and reviewed as necessary to build confidence. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY TO THE ROLE YOU ARE CURRENTLY HAVING? HOW HAS YOUR CHILDHOOD AND GROWING UP GUIDED YOUR CHOICE FOR THIS CAREER OPTION? From a very personal perspective, at some time in primary school, I had frequent issues with foods that were handled unhygienically. I remember suffering from H. Pylori infection at some point and, even though I did not know what exactly it was then, I developed interest in food quality and safety. I thought I could, in future, learn more about food and how to make it safe for everyone. I decided to pursue Chemistry because I could utilize advanced analytical methods to establish contents of a sample - I wanted to be a food expert after campus. Even though I am still looking forward to growing my skills and expertise in food quality and safety, I am glad I have practical experience in several food companies so far. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITY, FOOD SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATIONS YOUR COMPANY HAS ACHIEVED? HOW WOULD YOU SAY THESE CERTIFICATIONS

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HAVE SHAPED UP YOUR COMPANY TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS? Kenafric Industries Limited is certified against Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2015, Food Safety Management Systems ISO 22000:2018, Environmental Management Systems ISO 14001:2015 and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems ISO 45001:2018. Our operations are aligned with the requirements of these certifications, and we do guarantee that the products we produce are high quality and safe for consumption. Standardising our operations in this fashion has helped us achieve one of our very top goals - customer satisfaction - which means better market for our products. HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY ENSURE THAT FOOD SAFETY CULTURE IS INCULCATED WITHIN THE TEAMS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOUR TEAM AND COMPANY FACE IN ENSURING COMPLIANCE THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS? Our management demonstrates its commitment to good food safety culture by effectively communicating the food safety policy, providing relevant internal and external training on food safety, and encouraging new ideas that align with our business needs. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITY, FOOD SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE YOUR COMPANY CHALLENGES ON A REGULAR BASIS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROCESSES YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT RAW MATERIALS, IN-PROCESS AND END PRODUCTS MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS? Lately, especially with the current pandemic, we have had major delays in deliveries from our suppliers for raw and packaging materials. As a result, we have had to sometimes temporarily resort to other suppliers - some of whom we have received materials with varying quality parameters. However, we have a robust incoming material inspection system, which helps us promptly detect such variations so we can take necessary steps to prevent variations or deviations on in-process and end-product quality.

CURRENT ROLE: Quality Assurance Team Leader, Kenafric Industries Ltd COUNTRY: Kenya SECTOR: Confectionery & Beverage processing PREVIOUS ROLES: Environmental Health & Safety Coordinator, Edible Oil Products; Quality Assurance Supervisor/Safety Officer – Bidco Africa EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science, Chemistry – Egerton University

TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND HOW IT FITS IN WITH CAREER GOALS. BRIEFLY, WHAT IS THE TYPICAL DAY LIKE IN YOUR

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW : Hempstone Omondi ROLE AND AT YOUR COMPANY? I’m passionate about food quality and safety, and my current company is a platform for me to utilize and enhance my skills on the same. Also, Kenafric Industries Limited has a wide range of products, which technically translates to a wider experience for me. My typical workday involves review and verification of process monitoring records, doing reports, communicating and resolving matters regarding process and product quality, coordinating analyses, meetings and training sessions, and ensuring general compliance to in house processes and procedures. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS ROLES BEFORE THE CURRENT ONE? HOW IMPORTANT WERE THOSE ROLES IN SHAPING YOUR CURRENT ROLE? I began my career as a Quality Assurance Officer, then moved to the beverage industry as a Quality Assurance Supervisor & Safety Officer. I then decided to make a slight change in career direction to an EHS Coordinator in the edible oil sector. I’m back to Quality Assurance as a Team Leader in the confectionery and beverage sector. Having worked in both Quality Assurance and EHS roles has taught me dynamism – both roles involve making decisions often and constantly interacting with lots of people. One therefore needs to be sharp, tough, creative and resilient enough in order to be successful. That has been me relentless. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE KEY TURNING POINTS IN YOUR CAREER? HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CHANGE IN CAREER DIRECTION? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE CHANGE? WHAT LESSONS DID YOU DERIVE FROM THIS CHANGE? One conspicuous change in career direction was working as an EHS Coordinator for Edible Oil Products Ltd. I must admit that this role also 44

“HAVING WORKED IN BOTH QUALITY ASSURANCE AND EHS ROLES HAS TAUGHT ME DYNAMISM – BOTH ROLES INVOLVE MAKING DECISIONS OFTEN AND CONSTANTLY INTERACTING WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE.”

taught me a lot about compliance issues regarding legal obligations. I was the contact person for officers from local authorities who often came in unannounced, so everything had to always be right. This meant I had to be a master planner and a leader with good organisational skills. WHAT MAKES YOUR ROLE INTERESTING? WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR ROLE? WHAT HAS BEEN THE ROLE OF MENTORS AND FAMILY IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS? In my role, every single day is different. At one time, I could be reviewing documents and another, coordinating root cause analysis or conducting internal audits. That dynamism makes everything interesting and demands some level of flexibility and good organization skills. I’m glad I have friends - some of whom are my former bosses - who have been of great support. They offer advice and share materials that help me advance my skills and capacity in Quality and Food Safety. My family is my biggest support team. They challenge me to take risks and always see potential in me. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN DELIVERING ON YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM? I always give my very best at work. It’s, however, sad that this is not always the case with everyone else and it can manifest in different ways. Sometimes I must get tough to get things done. In whatever I do, focus and persistence are my biggest sources of power.

DO THESE HOBBIES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? First thing at home for me is either listening to music or playing tunes on the guitar to help me relax and unwind. Music has a way of refreshing the mind. As a routine, I always have something to read before I sleep could be an article or a book. I love this because it’s one way I get myself ahead of things. HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY ASPIRE TO A CAREER CHOICE LIKE YOURS PLAN THEIR JOURNEY? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM TO SUCCEED IN THEIR CAREERS AND LIFE? One must be intentional about quality assurance - know where you are and where you would want to be, embrace a lot of learning and use that knowledge to make a real difference. Look at the bigger picture. Have objectives that drive your career goals and work hard towards them. Finally, you either do it with passion or not at all. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR CAREER BEFORE YOU STEP AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY? WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I’m looking forward to climbing up to higher SHEQ (safety, health, environmental and quality) positions and better yet positively influence quality and safety compliance standards. This will satisfy my passion for quality, safety and customer satisfaction. As a long-term goal, I would also want to start a food business and utilise my knowledge and expertise to deliver best-in-market products and work environment.

HOW DO YOU WIND DOWN AFTER A HARD DAY AT WORK? WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL HOBBIES? HOW

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

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Obiagboso Chinenyenwa Nwadiuto – Plant Quality Assurance Manager - Olam Nigeria Ltd FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW : Obiagboso Chinenyenwa Nwadiuto By Francis Juma DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT ROLE, KEY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE MOST CRITICAL DELIVERABLES. As the Plant Quality Assurance Manager, I have the mandate of ensuring quality process and product for 120 tonnes daily biscuit line capacity with 15 running SKUs. My key responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Overseeing the activities of quality assurance department and staff; researching and maintaining a system of quality control and reliable validation and manufacturing and other processes. • Managing the plant quality assurance function in a complex and challenging high-capacity manufacturing facility. • Driving accountability with team leads and their teams to meet quality performance goals and ensure program standards are met on a week-by-week basis • Providing leadership to ensure that organizational policies, regulations, and procedures are inline with Food Safety Standards. • Overseeing an effective QMS by continuously identifying opportunities for improvement while maintaining adherence to project driven key performance requirements (Project Pride & OLAM 2.0X) in view of FSSC 22000 certification plan (proposed for last quarter of 2021) • Developing and delivering quality management and quality assurance training for all employees engaged in quality and performance monitoring. • Working closely with Research and Development team, Production Team and Technical Support to ensure that quality objectives of all NPD and recoup are met within schedule constraints • Align with top management on the performance of food safety audits, drive corrective action for quality compliance

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL SETS IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN YOUR ROLE? Some of the key skills sets in my career include statistical data analysis, HACCP implementation, change management and control and internal audit coordination. Others include audit process management, document and records control, sensory evaluation and analysis and planning and organizational skills. This role also requires me to be a creative problem solver, have good understanding of good manufacturing practices be a team player and have

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

clear communication defined strategy.

skills

with

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY TO THE ROLE YOU ARE CURRENTLY HAVING? HOW HAS YOUR CHILDHOOD AND GROWING UP GUIDED YOUR CHOICE FOR THIS CAREER OPTION? My journey to the role of Quality Assurance Manager was indeed a tough one. I started off my career as a Quality Control Officer, which involved ensuring that all process parameters are complied to with the goal of leading to zero customers FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

complaint. Having handled this role to the top management’s satisfaction, I was promoted to Shift Production Manager. In this role I managed a team of over 200 people, while ensuring that production output targets were met without compromising quality standards and GMP. During this period, my team won the Excellent Team of the Year two (2) years in a row. These contributions led to my promotion as the Quality Assurance Manager of the organization, which saddled me with the responsibility of ensuring process control, QMS and Food Safety Management. These has translated to a paradigm shift in my career. Literally, my mum played a great role in my career path. My mum is a retired Home Economics Teacher. While in active service and during my secondary school days, Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria (HETAN) do conduct annual general meetings, which they rotate state wise. My mum always carried me along for these annual meetings, which mostly came up during the long vacation. I remember telling her at some point that “Mummy I want to be like you but in a more advanced career path.” She then told me about Food Science and Technology and how this role can take me to greater heights in the food industry. Today, I am glad I made the right decision (big shout out to my mum!). I am living my dream while I strive to go higher in the manufacturing sector. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITY, FOOD SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATIONS YOUR COMPANY HAS ACHIEVED? HOW WOULD YOU SAY THESE CERTIFICATIONS HAVE SHAPED UP YOUR COMPANY TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS? In my previous company I led the team that achieved QMS 9001:2015 and currently I am preparing my plant for ISO 22000: 2018 (FSSC 22000 Vs 5.1). Though this is still in-view, but I must say this has greatly improved my company’s quality/food safety culture as well as infrastructural improvement. HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY ENSURE THAT FOOD SAFETY CULTURE IS INCULCATED WITHIN THE TEAMS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOUR TEAM AND COMPANY FACE IN ENSURING COMPLIANCE THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS? Consumer satisfaction is our driving force with

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room for zero tolerance to non-compliances. In my organization Food Safety Culture is inculcated to the team through weekly trainings, ensuring good hygienic practices across the board (handwashing and frequent hand sanitizing), use of signages (where applicable), active continuous monitoring/ review (to ensure compliance to standards) and of course management commitment. Some of the challenges we face is constantly having new workers due to various capacity expansions of the factory to meet up with demand. Likewise, dealing with people from different socio-cultural backgrounds is a challenge, but this is taken care of by training and continuous monitoring. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITY, FOOD SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE YOUR COMPANY CHALLENGES ON A REGULAR BASIS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROCESSES YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT RAW MATERIALS, IN-PROCESS, AND END PRODUCTS MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS? Some of the quality, food safety and compliance challenges include in-process deviations from the product standard and recent scarcity in supply of packaging materials. Some of the processes put in place to ensure standards are maintained include ensuring compliance to incoming goods inspection (IGI) for both raw materials & packaging materials (for instance ensuring right specification of packaging materials, burst/ compression strength, and GSM); deploying of process control parameters (PCPs) and SOPs; continuous training of the warehouse and sales team on finished goods handling with relative to burst compression strength of the secondary packaging materials.

CURRENT ROLE: Plant Quality Assurance Manager, Olam Nigeria Ltd COUNTRY: Nigeria SECTOR: Biscuit manufacturing PREVIOUS ROLES: Quality Assurance Manager, Beloxxi Biscuits, Nigeria EDUCATION: BSc. Food Science & Technology – University of Nigeria, Nsukka

TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND HOW IT FITS IN WITH CAREER GOALS. BRIEFLY, WHAT IS THE TYPICAL DAY LIKE IN YOUR ROLE AND AT YOUR COMPANY? I work with the largest biscuit, wafers, and sweet company in Nigeria, with over 30 years in manufacturing which means that my company has a robust structure that promotes manufacturing excellence, which has helped us to develop higher capacity towards delivering the best process/product quality that always guarantees food safety. This fits perfectly with respect to my career goals which is producing food using more

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW : Obiagboso Chinenyenwa Nwadiuto robust and automated processes though I will not mind diversifying because as the saying goes ‘variety is the spice of life’. My typical daily routine is engaging with the team to review Process Deviations, Analyzing the RFT, Food Safety Deviations (CCP/OPRP functionality checks), attending to official meetings (if any), and support R&D in NPD/Packaging developments to meet our customers’ requirements. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS ROLES BEFORE THE CURRENT ONE? HOW IMPORTANT WERE THOSE ROLES IN SHAPING YOUR CURRENT ROLE? Like I earlier mentioned, I worked as Quality Control executive and Shift Production Manager. These two roles helped me to build a stronger capacity for product/ process quality; have a detailed understanding of GHP, GHK, HACCP and process validations; improved understanding of Quality Management System, FSMS, Good Laboratory practices and clear understanding of 5S. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE KEY TURNING POINTS IN YOUR CAREER? HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CHANGE IN CAREER DIRECTION? IF SO, HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE CHANGE? WHAT LESSONS DID YOU DERIVE FROM THIS CHANGE? The turning point in my career was when I was promoted to Quality Assurance Manager. I had a minor change when I moved from Production to Quality department, which I appreciated and made me to stay in the food industry. Personally, I am someone that always like orderliness and “Quality” you must agree with me, implies the same. Bringing in my personal attribute to my job makes it more enjoyable and easier to get things done the right way. My greatest learning is never to give up on your dreams irrespective of all the odds.

WHAT MAKES YOUR ROLE INTERESTING? WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR ROLE? WHAT HAS BEEN THE ROLE OF MENTORS AND FAMILY IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS? Being a product gatekeeper for the consumer makes my role interesting by ensuring that there’s no customer complaint for every batch of product produced and sent to the trade. What I enjoy most is being able to protect the consumers’ rights and ensuring a satisfying experience at every bite of the product we produce at the factory. Secondly, I enjoy learning new ways of implementing standards, trainings and being trained (especially in working in a system like QMS, FSMS). My family has been of great support in my chosen career path and my mum is my number one mentor followed by the late Dora Akunyili (Former Director General of NAFDAC) for ensuring that consumers rights are protected to prevent food/drug adulteration. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN DELIVERING ON YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM? Some of the challenges I face in delivering my current role are: • Output target - Production wanting to drive volumes at the expense of quality. This is controlled by ensuring continuous engagement with all the stakeholders and strict adherence to SOPs. • Testing gap - This have been addressed by getting automated testing equipment with less human interference. Currently, I am building a more robust physio-chemical laboratory and retention sample/ sensory room. • Constantly renovating the products to ensure that business growth is not impacted while maintaining quality due to the current economic crisis. Generally, I am employed to add value to the organization, hence

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

SOME OF THE KEY SKILLS SETS IN MY CAREER INCLUDE STATISTICAL DATA ANALYSIS, HACCP IMPLEMENTATION, CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL AND INTERNAL AUDIT COORDINATION.

challenges for me are a steppingstone to success. HOW DO YOU WIND DOWN AFTER A HARD DAY AT WORK? WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL HOBBIES? HOW DO THESE HOBBIES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PERSONNEL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? I wind down by listening to soothing music, cooking, exercising and connecting with people. My hobbies are reading, fashion designing and trying new dishes – they help me to learn new things that positively impact my personal/spiritual and professional life HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY ASPIRE TO A CAREER CHOICE LIKE YOURS PLAN THEIR JOURNEY? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM TO SUCCEED IN THEIR CAREERS AND LIFE? My advice for young people who aspire to be in my career path is to be objective about what they want. I would like to advise them to have mentors and coaches that they can tailor their career with. They should also not allow any body to tell them otherwise with relation to their course of study and chosen career path - people may tease them but they should not lose focus and must train their mind on the bigger picture. WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR CAREER BEFORE YOU STEP AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY? WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I aspire to get to the position of Quality Director before leaving the industry. My future aspiration is to own a manufacturing factory and a fashion house.

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Minebea Intec: More food quality for sure FOODSAFETYAFRICA.NET

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

TECHNOLOGY : Minebea Intec

inebea Intec supports the food industry in increasing the reliability, safety and efficiency of production lines. The global provider of inspection technologies is continuously expanding its checkweighing and foreign body detection product range – for example with the X-ray inspection system Dymond Bulk. Specially designed for bulk material, the innovative inspection system is particularly suitable for processes between incoming goods and the production line in food industry. Dymond Bulk reliably inspects raw materials like nuts, smaller fruits, frozen vegetables along with spices, coffee and seeds, and eliminates any foreign bodies it identifies. The X-ray inspection system not only identifies foreign bodies made from metal, plastic and stone, but also bits of dirt and glass, which has obvious benefits for all goods that are introduced into the production process “straight from the field”. “In food production, the ‘sorting and cleaning’ stage for raw materials is by no means a precise science,” explains Global Product Manager Thorsten Vollborn of Minebea Intec Aachen. “The X-ray inspection system Dymond Bulk can make a significant difference here, increasing safety and quality parameters even before the refinement process.” Dymond Bulk stands out because it is so user-friendly. A conscious effort has been made to simplify the complex technology for the user: from real-time detection via colourbased contamination analysis through to straightforward belt replacement and an easy-to-clean inspection system. COMPLETENESS CONTROL IS IMPORTANT – WHICH ONE IS RIGHT? Just one step along the production line, the “packaging” section provides important parameters to ensure product quality. Metal detection, X-ray inspection and checkweighing ensure almost 100% food safety and quality. But what exactly do they do? Dynamic checkweighers THE X-RAY INSPECTION SYSTEM NOT ONLY IDENTIFIES FOREIGN BODIES MADE FROM METAL, PLASTIC AND STONE, BUT ALSO BITS OF DIRT AND GLASS, WHICH HAS OBVIOUS BENEFITS FOR ALL GOODS THAT ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE PRODUCTION PROCESS “STRAIGHT FROM THE FIELD”.

control the weight of a package according to packaging regulations for example. Some in-line checkweighers, such as Flexus or Synus from Minebea Intec also offer a so-called trend control. This means that the weight of the filled package is controlled, compared with the target weight and, if appropriate, a readjustment of the filling process is initiated. This optimization of the product filling ensures product savings and thus also an optimization of economic efficiency, especially for “fill-sensitive” foods. But it is not only the checkweighing that supports the completeness check of pre-packaged foodstuffs. X-ray

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Metal detectors from Minebea Intec help to meet indust standards and avoid costly product recalls. inspection systems also make an important contribution to product quality. The X-ray inspection systems from Minebea Intec, for example, offer a wide range of standard functions with which product integrity and quality can be guaranteed and can even develop systems for checking special quality attributes on request. X-ray inspection in addition to checkweighing provides the food producer with more information. For example, unwanted clumping of a product is not detected by the checkweigher. For those who want to focus on quality, an X-ray inspection system is recommended as an additional control point – along with the plus in safety it provides with regard to detecting possible foreign bodies made of stone, glass, plastic, etc. that might endanger the consumer. NO MORE FOREIGN BODIES IN PACKAGED FOODS Unwanted foreign bodies in the production process are not only the subject of X-ray inspection. To protect consumers and production facilities, metal detection equipment and

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try

inspection performance and product requirements. For special “hardship cases” such as the detection of glass splinters in glass containers, Dyxim D offers a dual beam inspection system in which two X-ray sources at an angle of 90 degrees also make the usually blind areas on the glass bottom or directly on the glass wall visible. CONTAMINATION ENDANGERS REPUTATION In the age of digitisation, more and more food manufacturers are relying on checkweighers and inspection systems that, in compliance with industry regulations such as HACCP, IFS and BRC, not only avoid costly product recalls, but also preserve the brand image. The image of a rusty nail in a cereal bar reaches millions of consumers through social networks in just a few clicks. The loss of image is difficult to express in numbers, but has a lasting effect on sales.

Minebea Intec offers a complete portfolio of X-ray inspection systems for testing packaged products in, for example, cartons, bags, trays or sachets systems reliably detect ferrous as well as non-ferrous metals and remove all products contaminated with these metals from the production or packaging line. Depending on the product, vertical or horizontal search coils are used. Vertical metal detection in particular often poses a great challenge for the plant constructor, because it is important to make efficient use of room heights. Special systems with minimised dimensions such as the new free-fall metal detector Vistus from Minebea Intec support the food industry in the realisation of safe filling systems for chips, muesli and co. The X-ray inspection extends the range of detectable foreign

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Monitoring in real time: reaction times can be significantly reduced with individually configured alarms and all ongoing production checks

objects to include materials such as glass, rubber, stone, plastic and even bone fragments. Individual systems are also available here – depending on the available space,

SAMPLE WAS YESTERDAY – TODAY IS STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL In addition to the risks mentioned above, the age of digitisation also offers significant opportunities for optimisation. The SPC@Enterprise software from Minebea Intec, for example, is a solution for process control and quality assurance in the packaging sector. “With the complete recording and processing of all device data, it can be used to orchestrate every line into a transparent and optimisable production unit,” emphasises Caroline Schröder, Global Product Manager at Minebea Intec Bovenden. Whether Minebea Intec weighing transmitters, industrial scales, checkweighers, X-ray inspection systems or solutions from other suppliers – all devices are integrated via Ethernet and their measurement data is automatically transferred to the database. All in all, the software package is characterised by its simple and intuitive use. The software is even available as a tablet version for on-site use.

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

COVER STORY: FOOD SAFETY CULTURE

Inculcating Food Safety Culture Across The HORECA Industry In Africa

By Doreen Lugalia

icture this. You are busy scrolling through your WhatsApp messages during what has become the new normal and you see a twitter link pointing you to some page which starts with the following statement: “I am not going to visit this restaurant ever again! It has caused me and my family pain and grief”. You are taken aback when you realise that this is the organization you work for. Furthermore, you are the Chief Executive!!!! As you read on the tweet, you notice that over 50,000 people have seen this, and it has been retweeted for a similar number of times! Not to mention the number of groups that the affected consumer has forwarded it to. Woe unto you if this is an influencer who has numerous followers. To add insult to injury, your Public Relations Department has indicated that the person concerned has engaged a battery of lawyers to file for damages and this might be a very expensive affair. You quickly go into the “damage control mode” – and you suddenly remember that you have not even implemented an Emergency Preparedness

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procedure, let alone having tested it by simulating a mock incident situation. This is a nightmare that frequently occurs globally - going by the trends in the public domain. The questions you ask yourself and your entire team are: “What went wrong? How could we have averted this crisis? How can we prevent this from happening again?” Well, depending on the scale of the incident, you will either sink or swim. All this is in a quest to run a business while delivering safe products to the consumer. Many things of course can go wrong, and people are at the centre of it all, hence the term “Culture”. This series of articles is dedicated to exploring and communicating the various aspects that businesses should address to prevent such “business threatening” incidents. Numerous businesses have been forced to close SHOP because of incidents that threaten human life. HORECA SECTOR HAS ITS CHALLENGES We shall take a deeper focus in the HORECA (Hotels, Restaurants and Catering) industry.

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There are a myriad of challenges facing this industry. These include and are not limited to: • Extended supply chain before product reaches consumer – there are many players along the chain from the producer, processor to the end consumer. In the recent past, there has been an upsurge of readyto-eat food delivered by a transporter (motorbike riders) to the consumer (delivery companies). These options offer conveniences at its best. One only needs to have the app on their mobile device and they are ready to go. The recent past has seen huge discounts being offered to entice the consumer. Question is, how do we ensure the product reaches the consumer free from any form of contaminants? • Variety of foods sold in roadside “kiosks” – these are the roadside shops that provide a lot of ready-to-eat affordable products for the consumer who cannot afford hot cooked food. You most probably have heard of the popular snacks such as KDFs, mandazis, queen cakes and a host of other snacks that are available and reasonably priced. These products are hawked by distributors who are walking or on bicycles and move over very expansive areas. Many questions arise regarding where these are processed and whether the infrastructure is ideal to ensure consumer safety. • Outside catering contributes a lot to the food consumed daily, with more emphasis on quality rather than food safety. Many functions are held in places where there is no inhouse catering facility. In this case, food has to be cooked at a distant facility then delivered to the client for consumption. Under these circumstances, the Cook-Chill-Heat process in the preparation and service of food may not strictly be adhered to. • Poor control of the extended supply chain - This could be attributed to the fact that there are many players, however no one is accountable for what happens to the product once it

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leaves the premises of the producer or processor. The processor is only too glad to have their products out in the market. In such cases, a driving factor is quality (demand based) rather than safety. • Lack of systematic capacity building - This is not only isolated to the HORECA sector but may apply across the board. There is no specific curriculum to ensure that the employees are well equipped to clearly understand what their roles are in providing safe food to the consumer. This happens both on joining the organisation and during their employment. In other words, the induction and continuous development programmes are not systematically implemented. • Incidents are highly underreported if not at all. This is a regional wide challenge due to the lack of structured processes to report these incidents to a centrally located data base in any of the countries. As a consumer, I have had issues with products I have purchased and my complaints have literally fallen on deaf ears, even though I have filed a complaint to the concerned organisation. The downside to this is that no proper investigations take place meaning that mitigating

measures are not implemented either. • The use of casual/temporary staff is steadily on the increase. - This is especially so during lean seasons and in the recent past, heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 situation. Employers cannot afford to have headcount that they cannot pay. They therefore resort to the use of casual staff who are not given proper induction before being allowed to work. • Lack of measurement and internal reporting - Most of this happens in organisations that have structured Management Systems which require them to ensure that they comply to expected requirements. This therefore means that the businesses cannot employ factual based decisions in their processes. • The influx of delis across the fast growing retail supply chain has brought about a myriad of complexities in the service of food. This can be attributed to the fact that the stores have not been purposely built with the requisite infrastructure to enable production of safe food. And, the growth has been explosive, to say the least. Matters such as shelf life of products, proper storage and monitoring of food safety aspects

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

COVER STORY: FOOD SAFETY CULTURE many not always be followed. There are certain sites that publish data on food safety matters. Following the data posted, one notices that there is at least an article per day of a recall on food safety issue. This begs the question, what is actually going on the other parts of the world that do not have a robust reporting system? This aspect of reporting will be the focus of one of our sessions during this series. For instance, who would have thought that onions would be responsible for a Salmonella outbreak? Yes, you read it right, red onions! At least 1,012 people had been confirmed as outbreak patients as of August 31, 2020. This goes to show that each role be it the producer, supplier, transporter, processor, retailer or any other service provider that plays a part in the Food Supply Chain, needs to be very wary and work towards inculcating Food Safety Culture accordingly. There are those of course who go a step further and implement a Food Safety Management System. Much as this is very well intentioned, have companies gone to it with the right objective at the forefront? Is this to secure that lucrative contract to supply your product to a major chain of supermarkets, or is it driven by the real need to provide safe food to your consumer? This will be another aspect that this series will delve into. We should remember though, that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, meaning that a sustainable system has to be developed and maintained. All the parties must be in complete understanding as to their roles within regarding the implementation of the system, which guarantees the “farm to fork principle”. So, for this article, let us begin by describing what culture is, and whether we feel that we have the right culture to deliver safe product to our consumer. Remember, safe product is free from hazards that have been broadly described as chemical,

WHATEVER PART OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN WHICH YOU PARTICIPATE, YOU NEED TO BE CLEAR WHETHER THE CULTURE YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS ADOPTED CAN DELIVER SAFE FOOD TO THE CONSUMER.

physical, biological or allergen. Culture can thus be described as: Patterned ways of thoughts and behavior that characterize a social group which can be learned through socialization processes and persist through time” (Creill, Bryant and Henderson, 2001). Whatever part of the supply chain in which you participate, you need to be clear whether the culture your organization has adopted can deliver safe food to the consumer. The business leaders need to ask themselves these questions now and again. In the ideal world, this should be at the beginning of incorporating the organization, however, we are where we are and still need to ask ourselves these questions. PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO INCULCATING FOOD SAFETY CULTURE. Frank Yiannas, in one of his books titled Food Safety = Behaviour 30 proven techniques to enhance employee compliance, proposes 30 practical approaches to enhance compliance. He has proven that there is a relationship between behavioural science and food safety. I plan to cover these 30 approaches over a series of 6 articles - therefore I shall cover 5 approaches in each publication. 1. Can Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) Actually Hinder Food Safety? Whether the employee clearly understands or doesn’t understand a documented Standard Operating Procedure, it is the behavior that matters. 2. Which one is better – Written or Verbal? People are more likely to put accurate information when it is written down rather than when it is spoken. 3. Don’t be a Food Safety

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Bystander. Implementing food safety is not a spectator sport, everyone must get involved and intervene when they notice things going wrong. 4. To checklist or not to checklist? Checklists should be used to drive behaviours rather than being a simple tick box exercise that happens whether or not events have taken place. 5. Role modelling Food Safety. Role models serve in a behavioural or social role to enable others to emulate. Basically, if role models demonstrate the right behaviors, then others will follow their example. As far as role modelling is concerned, TechnoServe has piloted a Food Safety Champions’ workshop that is aimed at changing behaviours of employees of food production organisations by implementing a simple training programme that is applicable to any one working in a FBO (Food Based Organisation). This is a very practical session that aims to grow champions who can be influencers at the workplace by acting as role models and agents of change. The program has been rolled out in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia and Malawi. It includes discussions on how to implement Critical behaviours in a very practical way. The participants are encouraged to share examples from their workplaces. In addition, each delegate commits to working on 3 critical behaviours to attain the desired level and are also held to account through a follow up process. In this series of subsequent articles, we shall delve into each topic describing the role it plays in delivering safe food to the consumer. These are all cogs in the operations and management wheels that run the business. Remember, all other technical aspects are clearly understood. It is these “soft attributes” that businesses need to get a grasp of in order to inculcate the much desired culture in organisations.

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2021

VIRTUAL SUMMIT POST-EVENT REPORT

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SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

EVENT REPORT: AFSQS 2021

ABOUT THE SUMMIT The Africa Food Safety & Quality Summit is Africa’s most impactful and largest food safety, quality and complience management conference and exhibition. The Summit brings together the private sector, Government, NGOs, development organizations and academic and research institutions from across Africa and the World to discover the latest ideas and appropriate solutions and technologies that boost Africa’s capacity to avail safe food to its growing population, while enabling the Continent to trade better within itself and into the regional and international markets. The specific objectives of the Summit include: • Provide a platform to exchange the latest knowledge, experience and expertise in food safety, food defence, food processing and new technologies with the food and agro value chain players in Africa; • Improve local, regional and international

collaboration initiatives on quality, standards, regulatory policy frameworks and food safety initiatives; • Provide a platform where technology and service providers can showcase their latest products and services to the industry, Goverment/NGOs and other stakeholders, hence improving the adoption of the latest food safety, quality management, postharvest and compliance technologies in Africa • Improve the quality and food safety aspects of the food, agricultural and processed food and feed products in Africa, hence boosting trade and market access to local, regional and overseas markets; • Amplify the awareness of consumers on food safety, regulatory and public health issues and how each stakeholder can contribute to a safer food environment in the Continent.

The 2021 edition of the Africa Food Safety & Quality Summit took place virtually for THREE days, with a mix of highlevel key note speeches, presentations, panel discussions, one-to-one live video networking and virtual Expo Hall discovery sessions.

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THE ATTENDEES The attendees of the Summit include those with the following roles in the private and public sectors, NGOs and many more . . . • MDs, GMs, Chairmen, Directors, CEO, etc. • Quality Assurance, Control & Management • Food Retailing, Distribution and Vending • Food Processing & Supply Chain Management • Food Catering & Restaurant Services Management • Cleaning, Sanitation, Hygiene & Environmental Services • Food Safety Legislation & Policy Making • Food Safety Software Design, Sales & Management • Food Fraud, Adulteration, Traceability Management • Food Safety Training, Auditing & Consultancy • Food Safety Equipment & Supplies Management • Public Safety & Health Management • Standards Policing, Accreditation & Inspection • Risk Management & Risk Communications

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• Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Management • Food Engineering and Production • Cleaning, Environmental & Pest Control Management • Quality, Lab & Quality Systems Management • Food & Agro Produce Testing • Research & New Product Development • Food Safety Litigation Services • Agriculture and Agribusiness Managers • Hospitality, Catering and Restaurant Management • Hospitals and other Institutions (Schools, Prisons etc) Management

SEP/OCT 2021 | FOOD SAFETY AFRICA MAGAZINE

Food Safety Africa Sept/October 2021 Issue

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