Want to catch up on the latest in the food and beverage industry? Topics for our top 5 articles for May include lean management in food manufacturing, supply chain traceability challenges, and reducing fossil fuel dependence in the food industry.
#1. Drive Efficiency With Lean Management in Food Processing
This guest article discusses the theory of lean management, defined as using lean principles to do away with non-value added activity in food manufacturing. The author covers the Five Lean Principles and how they can be applied in a practical manner and also discusses the practice of eliminating the Seven Deadly Wastes.
#2. Prioritizing a Food Safety Culture
Food safety specialist Francine L. Shaw highlights the importance of putting food safety first and provides several strategies companies can implement to reduce the number of foodborne illnesses that affect Americans annually. A few of these include thoroughly training and educating all staff, using technology to automate routine tasks, and using HCOL, a no-rinse sanitizer, for seafood, produce, meat, and poultry, to lengthen shelf life.
#3. Food Companies See the Importance of Traceability but Struggle to Implement: Foods Connected
Recent research from Foods Connected found that 42% of food companies don’t have a digital system to manage traceability, quality, or food safety but are thinking about finding a solution. However, they face several challenges when trying to implement supply chain traceability, including a lack of education about available funding and the need to upskill employees, to name a few.
#4. Grocery Spending Increases as Inflation Levels Off: April Consumer Food Insights
Consumers are spending more on groceries weekly according to Purdue’s April 2024 Consumer Foods Insights report. Food spending increased 10% from April 2023, and the average weekly amount spent at a grocery store increased to $129 a week. Meanwhile, the consumer estimate of annual food inflation decreased to 6.3% in April, and the rate of household food insecurity for the month also decreased.
#5. Decarbonizing the Food Industry
Guest author Patricia Provot of Armstrong International discusses the various challenges the food industry faces while trying to balance growth with reliance on fossil fuels. She highlights findings from the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap” and delves into the concept of energy efficiency and how it relates to the food industry.
