Latest food safety tech ‘keeps food fresher’

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.