1. farm assurance Flashcards
(14 cards)
What pressures does the food industry face from consumer concerns?
Sustainability, foodborne disease, animal welfare, traceability, and achieving net zero emissions.
Why is processed food more challenging for traceability?
Due to complex supply chains and multiple sources of ingredients.
Why are food safety and quality central to farm assurance?
They build consumer trust, prevent foodborne illness, and ensure compliance with standards.
What is the role of vets in farm assurance schemes?
Contributing to health plans, welfare assessments, and attestations.
What is the Red Tractor Assurance scheme?
A UK farm assurance program requiring farms to meet standards reviewed every 12–18 months.
What are common routes for foodborne infections?
Bacterial contamination at farm or during processing, and chemical adulteration.
Give an example of deliberate chemical contamination in food.
Melamine in milk or rapeseed oil in cooking oils.
What are the key mechanisms for hazard transfer in the food chain?
Contamination at the farm, processing plants, or cross-contamination along the chain.
How do supermarkets influence farm assurance?
They require direct contracts with farmers/processors and impose their own standards.
What is the effect of supermarket dominance on the food chain?
It drives integration and standardization across production, processing, and distribution.
Why has the food industry shifted to fewer, larger abattoirs?
Due to the high cost of audits and control mechanisms across the chain.
What is the LISA model in food assurance?
Longitudinal Integrated Food Assurance; emphasizes responsibility across the entire supply chain.
What are key epidemiological tools used in farm assurance?
Monitoring, surveillance, risk analysis, identification, and traceability.
Why are traceability and monitoring considered lifetime commitments?
Because they ensure long-term food safety, animal health, and regulatory compliance.
