Theme Contaminants / quality

Intensive agriculture brings an extended food chain. In the recent past pigs, poultry and even fish were raised by home farms meeting an individual or very local demand. In many parts of China this is still the situation. Driven by rapid urbanisation, a need for a more intensive approach to meat production has developed to supply a more concentrated consumer base. This has split animal production into two channels. The first channel remains as small local farming communities selling produce locally and there is a social responsibility to maintain and improve this way of life for what is a vast farming population.

 

The second channel is comprised of large local or multinational companies with heavy investment in breeding, feeding and processing. What once were small farms focused on supplying their local community, has grown rapidly into being an industry supplying fast food chains, supermarkets and an increasingly educated consumer base. If we consider the food chain, there are many steps and different production models. Figure 1 shows a typical Chinese model and Figure 2 represents a typical US/ European model. To assess a food safety risk analysis we can consider the chain in 8 basic steps. These will be explained in short below.

Micronutrients production
It is necessary to provide micronutrients to intensively raised animals. Nutrients such as vitamins, carotenoids, amino acids, trace elements and minerals must all be added to the feed. These come primarily from two sources. The first is large scale chemical manufacture or fermentation (vitamins, carotenoids and amino acids). Typically, companies providing such materials manufacture for the food, pharmaceutical and animal feed indus- tries in high tech (normally GMP) facilities.

 

Product forms are developed to ensure that small quantities of active nutrient can be effectively added and retain its stability in animal feed. Specifications and quality systems are normally extremely high. The other source is from harvesting natural resources (minerals and trace elements) and quality is managed through identifying possible contaminants and maintaining tight specifications to prevent these from entering the food chain (for example, Cadmium in Zinc sources). Responsibility for such control measures rests largely with premix manufacturers.

 

 

Micronutrient premixing
Micronutrients are by definition, supplied in very small quantities in animal feed. For example, biotin, an essential vitamin is required at levels of approximately 150- 200 ppb and must be evenly distributed in the animal feed. Therefore, such micronutrients must first be premixed into a diluted form. This is perhaps the most critical control point in animal feed production due to the high number of micronutrients combined into one premixed package. Whilst making up approximately 1% of the feed volume, premixes can contain up to 70% or more of the individual feed components. There is now rapid development of the Chinese premix industry, and only in recent years do we see large scale dedicated premix plants emerging. There is now a drive for these plants to be HACCP or ISO-22000 accredited to ensure risks are identified and preventive steps are taken to ensure no contamination into the food chain. Traceability is probably the single most critical factor in the production of premix. With traceability comes risk assessment and attention to specifications.

 

Raw material supply (Macronutrients)
Macronutrients such as protein and energy are normally provided by raw materials such as corn, soybean, fish meal etc. The risks associated with these materials often come to the forefront of the animal feeding industry, such as the BSE and recently the adulteration of proteins sources with Melamine. Industry and authorities both reacted quickly in these cases however both issues did considerable damage to the perception of industry in the eyes of consumers and very high financial impact to the companies involved. Again, these issues relate primarily to failure in controlling specifications and traceability.

 

Feed production
The production of feed takes many routes and in this respect is also a critical point of control for food safety. The commercial feed industry in China is developing into one of the largest globally, but there remains a significant gap between the number of animals produced and the quantity of feed commercially produced. This gap is made up by an extensive production of feed “on farm”. Farmers will buy a commercial feed premix and add corn, soybean and other raw materials themselves. Control of this process can be viewed as a relatively high risk. There are significant differences in “on farm” feed production depending on the animal species being raised.

 

The majority of meat chickens are supplied fully commercial feed, due to the higher level of integration with- in this industry. Within integrated production (baby chick ¬ feed ¬ meat ¬ processing) there are control points and much product is sold branded giving a reference point for traceability. A significant amount of feed for laying hens and pigs is produced on farm representing the need for education of farmers as to best safe practice. Such products are normally sold unbranded in open markets so traceability of the foodstuff is also an issue. Projects run by the relevant Ministries are focusing on evaluation of feed additives and the controls for ensuring relevant regulations are adhered to.

 

Animal feeding
Many integrated producers control animal feeding through either having their own units or contract production with accredited farmers. Traceability systems and controls are developing as the industry matures and recognisable standards such as HACCP are implemented. Community farming units in China are typically small and farmers have been adapting to modern agriculture on the foundation of techniques passed down through generations. Newer challenges face these farmers (free availability of drugs, availability of non-permitted substances such as Sudan IV or clenbuterol and numerous emerging disease challenges such as Avian Influenza and Swine Blue ear disease).

 

Continuous education to lift the standard farm practices is a key for the future controls of food safety on the farm. The government is supporting such programmes under the umbrella of the “harmonious society” programme to improve the living standards of rural communities across the country. This will offer educational opportunities however, it remains is a significant mindset challenge.

 

Processing
All industries are now experiencing a dramatic rise of further processing of animals. This can simply be by defining slaughter houses right through to fully branded products sold in western style packaging. This is a very steep development curve as it was only 10 years ago that the majority of animal products were sold live or freshly slaughtered in open market environments. Fast food and supermarket chains are also driving this development with international standards. Investment is significant and brand security through food safety is also a key driver for ensuring the controlled operation of such processing facilities.

 

Marketing
Food safety is now a key target for successful branding of agri-products in China. Numerous brands approach the market with HACCP accreditations, environmentally sound production processes and premium

 

Fixing China’s bad image

After some feed scares, including melamine in wheat gluten and Sudan Red dye, China’s main focus at the moment is to fix its image of being a low quality supplier of meat, seafood, vegetables and raw materials. Inspections of pork production are being intensified and China’s quality watchdog introduced a recall system for unsafe food products to improve product safety. Minister of Agriculture Sun Zhengcai promised stiff action against farmers and producers who used banned chemicals to boost yields and profits. Among targeted practices will be use of chloramphenicol, malachite green and other potentially toxic banned chemicals in raising seafood. Sun also promised an offensive against banned additives in animal feed and pet food.

 

product ranges. Major local and international retailers are now carrying “own branded” meat products with the appropriate traceability behind the production. Consumers are also looking to brands to provide traceability security. In a recent survey conducted by DSM the willingness to purchase branded eggs was 67.8% (and 76.2% for an OVN® egg brands) in the open markets, where there are currently no such brands.

 

Key drivers were quality, freshness and safety. This represents a shift in consumer perception that branded agriproducts only belong in the supermarket. Consumer perception has clearly shifted from “branded products are premium products”, to a more pragmatic approach that “branded products are traceable products”. This is a very positive and encouraging sign because consumers’ increasing need to understand food safety will ultimately drive the upstream home based industry.

 

Consumption
The Chinese consumer is becoming more knowledgeable and has more information available regarding animal raising practices than ever before. Media has played an important role by not only reporting on contraventions of food safety practices, but also widely publicising positive moves in the industry (such as investment in processing lines or attainment of HACCP accreditations).

 

Systems and Culture
Safety is a culture. Whether we discuss food safety or the way we cross the road each day, the most critical issue for successful implementation of food safety is personal culture of individuals. At the same time, regulators can limit the “decision risk” which may lead individual actions inappropriate for best practice. Adequate monitoring and education systems can help to bring about this cultural change. Eating habits and consumer maturity is also driving this change in China. <-

 

This article was presented at the Food Safety and Public
Policy International Seminar which was held in
Shanghai from November 14-16, 2007