Tag: Food

Technologies That Enhance Food Safety and Security

Two focuses of my blog are STEM and Technology. An important sector in our country and our world is the agricultural sector. Generating the food is one thing but making sure that it is safe and secure are critical as well. The following guest post is entitled, Technologies That Enhance Food Safety and Security.

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The food business is a tricky one. On the one hand, you have to worry about food spoilage, contamination, and waste. On the other hand, you have to worry about keeping up with the latest trends and technologies to stay competitive. It’s a delicate balancing act, but luckily there are some tools out there that can help. Here are a few technologies that can help enhance food safety and security in your business:

Temperature-controlled shipping containers

You’re probably familiar with the images of refrigerated 18-wheelers hauling perishable food items across the country. But did you know that those same trucks often rely on temperature-controlled shipping containers to keep their cargo safe and fresh?

Most perishable goods, including meat, dairy, and produce, must be kept at a certain temperature to prevent spoilage or contamination. That’s where temperature-controlled shipping containers come in. Investing in a few temperature-controlled shipping containers ensures that your perishable items remain fresh and safe during transit. Plus, you’ll be able to stack other non-perishable items in the same container, making your shipments more efficient and cost-effective.

Cargo tracking and monitoring solutions

Even though you already have temperature-controlled shipping containers, you might still be worried that something might happen to your products as they’re being delivered to various markets. That’s why you should get cargo tracking and monitoring solutions.

These trackers help you keep your perishables fresh by monitoring their temperature and location and giving you data about their condition. They also help you track your shipments, giving you peace of mind as your products make their way to your customers. In the event of a problem, cargo trackers give you notifications, so you can quickly resolve any issues before they turn into costly delays.

Robotic food processing technologies

As your business grows and your distribution channels expand, you may find that your food production is simply too labor-intensive to keep up with demand. But robotic food processing technologies can help.

With robotic food processors, you’ll be able to streamline your production processes and make sure that every step of the process is done at optimal speed and accuracy. From packaging to slicing, these automated systems can help reduce labor costs while ensuring consistent quality and quantity in your final products.

Smart labels

Smart labels are a type of food labeling that uses RFID tags to provide information about a product. The tags can be read by special scanning devices, which can then provide information about the product’s origins, manufacturing date, expiration date, and other important details. Smart labels have several advantages over traditional food labeling methods.

First, they allow businesses to track products more effectively, which can help to reduce waste and improve inventory management. Second, they provide consumers with more information about the products they purchase, which can help them to make better-informed choices. Finally, smart labels are more durable than traditional labels and are not affected by changes in temperature or humidity. As a result, they are an increasingly popular choice for food producers and retailers.

Blockchain technology

Blockchain is a distributed ledger system that allows businesses to securely track and store data. And while it was initially developed for use in the finance industry, more and more food businesses are now using blockchain to keep their data secure and easily accessible.

For example, many food producers now use blockchain to track their products from farm to fork. This ensures that every step of the process is transparent and tamper-proof, which can help reduce food waste and improve product quality. Additionally, food businesses use blockchain for supply chain management, inventory management, and more.

Automated food waste management systems

More and more businesses are looking into implementing automated food waste management systems. And for a good reason – these systems can help to reduce landfill waste, lower disposal costs, improve worker safety, and increase recycling rates. But how do they work?

Automated food waste management systems typically have three components: a waste segregation unit, a compactor, and a baler. The segregation unit allows workers to separate food waste from other types of refuse. The compactor then crushes the food waste, reducing its volume by up to 90%. Finally, the baler compresses the compacted food waste into tightly-wound bales that are easy to store and transport. With an automated food waste management system in place, businesses can efficiently manage their food waste while doing their part to reduce environmental waste. The key to any automated management system is keeping data accurate, up-to-date, and secure. Furthermore, the processing and interpretation of the available data are extremely important to ensure that automation efforts are applied in the right areas and that they are working effectively. By making use of IT specialists like Wete and Company, businesses can ensure that their automated systems are always performing at peak efficiency.

So, if you’re looking for ways to better manage your food business and keep your customers safe and satisfied, then these technologies are definitely worth exploring. From temperature-controlled shipping containers to robotic processors to smart labels and beyond, they can help you streamline your operations, improve your bottom line, and enhance your products’ overall quality and safety. And that’s something every food business owner can get behind.

Tips For Starting A Food And Beverage Manufacturing Business

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. An important sector of our economy is the food and beverage industry. If you want to start in this sector, there are some tips that you need to be aware of. The following contributed post is entitled, Tips For Starting A Food And Beverage Manufacturing Business.

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Starting a food and beverage manufacturing business can be an incredibly lucrative endeavor. However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind before getting started. The following blog will discuss some of the essential tips for starting your own food and beverage manufacturing business!

Photo by ELEVATE

1) Have A Solid Business Plan In Place

One of the most important things that you need to do when starting a food and beverage manufacturing business is to have a solid business plan in place. This business plan should include everything from your target market to your financial goals. Without a strong business plan, it will be challenging to make your business successful.

Make sure to do research and put together a comprehensive business plan before starting your food and beverage manufacturing business!

2) The Right Building Will Make All The Difference

Another important tip for starting a food and beverage manufacturing business is to make sure that you have the right building in place. The last thing that you want is to set up shop in an old, run-down warehouse. Not only will this give your customers a bad impression, but it could also lead to health code violations.

Make sure to find a clean, modern facility with urethane flooring that meets all of the necessary requirements for your food and beverage manufacturing business!

3) Invest In The Right Equipment

One of the most important investments you’ll make when starting a food and beverage manufacturing business is in the equipment you’ll need to get started. Depending on the products you plan on making, you’ll need to purchase specific types of machinery and equipment. Do your research to determine what type of equipment is best for your needs and budget. Once you have the right equipment, you’ll be able to produce high-quality products that will meet customer demands.

Another essential investment to consider is in packaging materials. You’ll need to find sturdy, reliable packaging that will protect your products during shipping and handling.

4) Hire Qualified Staff

One of the most important things you can do for your food and beverage manufacturing business is to hire qualified staff. You’ll need to find individuals who have experience in the food and beverage industry and who are passionate about what they do. These individuals will be responsible for ensuring that your products are of the highest quality and that they meet customer demands.

Make sure to take your time when hiring staff for your food and beverage manufacturing business. You want to ensure that you’re only bringing on board individuals who will help contribute to the success of your business!

In conclusion, these are just a few tips to keep in mind when starting a food and beverage manufacturing business. Be sure to have a solid business plan in place, invest in the right equipment, find the perfect facility, and hire qualified staff. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making your food and beverage manufacturing business a success!

We Need To Be More Productive At Producing Food

A major focus of my blog is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and Agrosciences falls within this category. The following contributed post is entitled, How We Need To Be More Productive At Producing Food.

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In a world of big topics – from Climate Change to Plastic Pollution to the #MeToo – it can be easy for some impossibly important conversations to get lost in the white noise, as imperative as it may be to our survival. But none is more important than food because, right now, today, there are 795 million hungry people; a number that’s going to grow by another 2 billion before 2050. And if we’re going to make that possible, then it’s a question we need to talk about a whole lot more than we are right now.

It’s a problem we shouldn’t have, yet here we are, unable to improve the global food security as much as we need to. That’s why it’s so important we all help tighten up on this area and do all we can to make sure there are enough calories to properly nourish everyone on the planet, but without making the agricultural footprint any bigger.

So, without further ado, here’s what we need to focus on:

1. Close The Food Gap
One of the biggest issues we have isn’t a lack of agricultural land, it’s the fact this land isn’t reaching its full potential. In fact, some places are yielding 50% less than their capabilities. Closing this gap is so important. Not only would it reduce the need to clear land for agriculture, it would help us feed those hungry people using the land we have.

2. Produce More With Less
It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about the use of fertilisers or nutritional supplements, we need to be more efficient – and effective – when it comes to the production of food. But let’s start with nutritional supplements. A quick visit here and you’ll quickly learn that naturally-raised weanling pigs and livestock whose diets contained Pro+ ate more feed and gained more weight, which makes them more efficient. That’s what we need. The same principle applies to fertiliser, where it’s estimated that the use of nitrogen and phosphorus-based fertilisers, which are used on wheat, rice and maize crops, could be slashed by 15-30% and still produce the same yields. And that’s without factoring any adjustments in the timing, placement and type of fertilizer used.

3. Water Is A Worry
Water is possibly the biggest issue right now, and improving irrigation systems and planting crops that use less water needs to become the focus moving forward. Take rice and sugarcane as a prime example of crops that need the most water. The problem is, you can’t simply swap crops you grow as all farmers base their decisions on current market values. As such, the only way to tackle this issue effectively and efficiently would be to encourage farmers through economic incentives, ones that can be tweaked and tailored to regional differences and cultural tastes.

4. Food Waste Needs Addressing
Across the globe, between 30-50% of all food produced goes to waste, whether that be thrown, due to the inefficient preparation or just inadequate storage facilities. Address this and we have addressed a huge issue moving forward.