In this exclusive video interview, filmed at the Food Manufacture Group’s one-day Food safety conference, Akkermans said some current food safety practices tarnished products’ taste and texture.
“The positives [to using new technology] are keeping food as close to fresh as possible,” said Akkermans. “[Products] can be made food safe, without impacting textural attributes or flavouring attributes, and what’s called the more gentle processing techniques. That’s the primary benefit.
‘Keeping closer to fresh’
“It’s very easy to make food safe using traditional canning processes and extreme thermal regimes, but they have a negative impact on product quality. So, their main advantage is keeping closer to fresh, and in some cases, as close to nature as possible.”
Also in this video, Akkermans said he expected consumer scrutiny to increase over the next 10 years. Using new technology – with unfamiliar names – will worry shoppers, he said.
“There will be more and more consumer expectation of knowing exactly how their food is processed before consumption,” said Akkermans.
‘A bit of scaremongering’
“That will drive a bit of scaremongering for things that sound as if they’ve been scientifically tampered with, versus some things which have been a lot more accepted, just because consumers are more comfortable with the terminology.
“As an example, microwaves have been used domestically for 30/40 years. So, microwave pasteurisation is much more likely to be accepted, even though it’s just an example of irradiating, whereas you get other forms of irradiation perceived very negatively.”
The Food Manufacture Group’s Food safety conference took place on June 22 at Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa. The conference was sponsored by: Checkit, Dycem, eurofins, Ishida, Pal International, Westgate Factory Dividers.
Food safety conference 2018
Click here to register your interest for next year’s Food Manufacture Food safety conference.