Proactive food safety control for the food industry
Belgian food is known for its quality and reliability, including where food safety is concerned. However, food safety is an issue that continuously needs upgrading. By prioritising proactivity and prevention in food safety through thorough validation of production equipment and by embedding food safety culture in the entire organisation’s ethos and, consequently, in employee thinking, the Belgian food industry is bound to retake the lead vis-à-vis the (foreign) competition.
Q-DNA is a three-year collective research, development, and dissemination project (COOCK type) that aims to boost food company food safety levels by focusing on two complementary pillars: technology and labour organisation.
To this end, the project will develop state-of-the-art tools and methods for food companies to implement, including:
Specifically, that means:
To that end, researchers will convert their research into pragmatic tools for the industry, which Flanders’ FOOD will then distribute more broadly. In the Flemish food industry, both issues are still very much in their infancy.
This project targets all Flemish food companies. The tools developed by the project, including the surrogate strains available, will enable companies to fully capitalise on the human factor at the organisational level and guarantee product quality, hygiene and food safety.
Do you want to follow this project from the front row and help guide the research? You can then join the industrial advisory board if you are a member of Flanders' FOOD, Fevia and/or Wagralim, at least during the duration of the project (from 1/4/2021 to 31/3/2024).
To facilitate implementation, the project consortium also provides an interactive program of activities with different levels of participation.
Does your company want to be a test case (case study) in the research? Let us know. Or just come to the many training courses and study days of the project!
Flanders’ FOOD manages and coordinates the project. Ghent University (under the supervision of Dr Frank Devlieghere, Dr Liesbeth Jaxcsens, and Dr Peter Vlerick) is responsible for the implementation, supported by Fevia and Alimento.
To that end, the team will be expanding the knowledge recently gained from two Ghent University dissertations; one deals with a new type of process validation, while the other addresses the creation of a food safety culture.