? Welcome to Fresh & Safe News – Volume 8

I am delighted to share some insights from the recent Singapore International Food Forum in an article, where I had the honour of presenting. This prestigious event brought together global leaders in food safety and innovation, providing a platform to discuss the pressing challenges and advancements shaping our global food industry.

Our commitment to enhancing food safety standards continues through our ongoing Horticulture Food Safety Initiative (HFSI) in the ANZ fresh produce industry. Susannah is making significant progress, working closely with industry partners and regulators. As part of the HFSI, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our Central Food Safety Helpdesk. Looking ahead, our focus remains on strengthening our industry engagement plan and outreach activities. With the implementation of new food safety standards on the horizon, we are committed to developing comprehensive educational resources and training programs to support our growers and industry partners.

Last but not least, don’t miss Jody’s section highlighting the last chance to register for our upcoming International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium in Sydney from August 20-21, 2024. We are excited to have Frank Yiannis, a renowned expert in food safety, join us in Sydney, as both our opening and closing keynote speaker. If you haven’t already secured your tickets, we are offering some great promotions to enable your participation.

Thank you for your continued dedication to food safety and innovation. Together, we are shaping a safer, more sustainable future for fresh produce.

Warm regards,

Farzana Adams

 Insights from the Singapore International Food Forum (SIFF)

Singapore’s “30 by 30” Strategy and the Future of Urban Farming

One of the key highlights at the Singapore International Food Forum (SIFF) was Singapore’s ambitious “30 by 30” strategy, which aims to enhance food security by producing 30% of the country’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. This initiative underscores the importance of urban farming in land-scarce regions like Singapore. While Australia and New Zealand benefit from abundant agricultural land, innovations from Singapore’s urban farming sector offer valuable lessons. Their focus on efficient resource use, sustainable practices, and high-tech solutions can benefit our traditional and innovative farming practices as we strive for sustainability and resilience in our food systems.

Exploring Food Safety Guidelines at the Forum

At the forum, we explored the FPSC-ANZ Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety, which are based on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and grounded in solid prerequisite programs such as managing growing sites and planting materials, managing water and facilities, managing people, and ensuring product identification and traceability. We emphasized the significance of these guidelines in supporting producers to ensure the safety and quality of fresh produce across diverse agricultural models, including urban vertical farms. The Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety remain a cornerstone of food safety, adaptable to various farming methods, and are critical in maintaining consumer trust and safeguarding public health.

Insights from Global Experts

Associate Professor Sanja Ilic from Ohio State University shared fantastic insights from their work at the Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, highlighting the need for food safety education to be integrated, relevant, and customized to drive desired behavior change.

A session on AI-Enabled Detection of Microbes in Food Systems Using Optical Imaging, presented by Professor Nitin Nitin from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis, was particularly inspirational. It highlighted the opportunities that big data and machine learning present for rapid pathogen detection, which has the potential to help reduce the public health burden of foodborne illnesses.

Dr. Ana Allende, our keynote speaker from the 2023 Fresh Produce Safety Conference, shared sobering insights into the continued microbiological challenges within the fresh produce sector and the need for robust preventative controls to protect consumer safety.

It was a fantastic couple of days of learning and sharing with food safety colleagues from around the globe. I appreciate the invitation and support from the organising committee to attend and share our learnings. The forum was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in addressing the complex challenges and opportunities facing the global food system today.

Horticulture Food Safety Initiative update

with Susannah Roelofsz

The Horticulture Food Safety Initiative (HFSI) aims to elevate Food Safety Standards in the ANZ Fresh Produce Industry with an initial focus on melons, berries, and leafy vegetables. We are pleased to share our latest progress update on this Project.

Fresh Produce Safety Community of Practice (COP)

Our Community of Practice continues to grow with over 60 members representing the fresh produce supply chain in Australia and New Zealand. Our community continues to meet bi-monthly to enhance collective expertise in the fresh produce industry and providing a forum to connect and collaborate for shared knowledge and learnings.

We are excited to be hosting our first in-person COP Meeting on the 22nd of August following the International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium in Sydney. If you are interested in joining our COP, please email: technical@fpsc-anz.com

What’s next?

Industry engagement plan and outreach activities
Our industry engagement plan, initially focusing on melons, berries and leafy vegetables is underway. With the implementation of new food safety standards (4.2.7 for berries, 4.2.8 for leafy vegetables and 4.2.9 for melons) in February 2025, we are developing an outreach program to be delivered during Phase 4 and 5 of the project. This initiative includes developing in-person and on-line education, guidance with multilingual resources for growers as well as training materials for industry development officers (IDO’s). We will be collaborating with AUSVEG, Melons Australia, Berries Australia and Fresh Markets Australia to leverage established communication channels and ensure the timely and effective dissemination of supporting food safety information. Additionally, we will be commencing an extension program for kiwifruit growers in Australia and New Zealand, with local extension staff providing on-the-ground support. To ensure our materials meet diverse needs of growers, we will be gathering feedback from key Stakeholders as we develop the program. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to support food safety practices across these horticultural sectors.

Launch of our Central Food Safety Helpdesk
We are excited to announce the launch of our central food safety helpdesk, designed to streamline and enhance the support available to our fresh produce industry members. This helpdesk will act as a central hub, redirecting enquiries to relevant parties and subject matter experts or providing direct technical support. Our Helpdesk will continue to evolve and mature as the HFSI progresses and beyond. Whether you are looking for information or technical queries related to fresh produce food safety, our helpdesk is here to assist.

The helpdesk can be reached via:

EMAIL: helpdesk@fpsc-anz.com

PHONE: +61 407 814 730 or +64 27 620 2729

WEBSITE: https://fpsc-anz.com

How to Use Our FPSC Support Helpdesk:

Our new live chat is a convenient and efficient tool designed to provide instant support and information. Here’s how you can make the most of it:

Step 1, Accessing the Live Chat:

• Visit our website and look for the live chat icon located at the bottom right corner of the page
• Click on the icon to open the chat interface (during standard business hours)

Step 2, Starting a Conversation:

• Type in your query for a live chat
• Queries will be responded to via chat or phone call

Step 3, Getting Redirected:

If your enquiry requires expertise from an existing Stakeholders helpdesk or subject matter expert, live chat will guide you to the appropriate contact.

Step 4, Technical Support and Resources:

Access a wealth of information, including FAQs, food safety guidelines, and technical documents directly through the chat or FAQs with links to detailed resources and guides on various food safety topics.

FPSC REPRESENTED AT AIFST24

Susannah Roelofsz shares her insights from the event

I attended the AIFST24 Convention on the 6-7th of August in Sydney and found the sessions to be incredibly informative, covering the latest innovations and research in food safety, each followed by insightful panel discussions. The exhibition stands were also packed with innovative products and solutions aimed at improving food safety.

I also had the chance to connect and network with many leading food safety professionals for future collaborations. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the closing session with a round of food safety themed Jeopardy! Congratulations to AIFST on delivering such a fantastic event and joint celebration for 75 years of science innovation and insight, and not forgetting those gold, green and blue books!

A few of my favourite takeaways from the 2 days:

• “Science cannot and must not operate on an island separate to society”
• With our global population ever increasing, “Space will feed our future”
• Plant-based products “are we imitating the same products, or are we improving?”
• As Adjunct Professor Deon Mahoney took us through the eras of food safety, 1974-1998 was highlighted as the “golden age of food microbiology”
• A scary statistic was shared, with an increase in global vulnerable populations – young, old, pregnant and immunocompromised, approximately 25% of the Australian population are classified as YOPI.
• “If it’s not safe, it’s not food!”

1 WEEK UNTIL THE IFPSS!

Take advantage of exclusive ticket sale offers

If you have already booked your ticket, we look forward to welcoming you at the registration desk from 8:30am on Tuesday 20 August 2024! Be sure to download the IFPSS24 APP from Apple or Google and familiarise yourself with the programme, speakers, exhibitors and sponsors. There is also a Google Map link to the venue location in the ‘About the event’ tab.

*Valid for 2-day delegate tickets purchased between 30 July and 12 August 2024 only. Winner will be selected at random and reimbursed the cost of the ticket, less fees.

FPSC thanks GS1 Australia for continued support

GS1 Australia is the leading provider of standards and solutions for over 25 industry sectors.

GS1 introduced barcoding to Australia in 1979 and today have enable more than 22,000 member companies, of all sizes, to become more efficient by implementing the GS1 system.

It brings businesses, associations and industries together. This blended community comes to GS1 Australia for advice, networking and solutions to their supply chain challenges. GS1 partner with, and help showcase, members, solution providers and industry leaders to demonstrate and encourage supply chain best practice.

GS1 is part of a worldwide network of GS1 organisations in over 116 countries and a global office based in Brussels, Belgium. As a member-based, not-for-profit organisation, its charter is to supply and manage barcode numbers, operate and manage supply chain standards accordance with the global GS1 system and to provide related solutions and services to its members.

Not only is GS1 a bronze supporter of the FPSC-ANZ, they supported the Fresh Produce Safety Conference in 2023 and will be exhibiting at the inaugural International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium this month. If you’re attending the IFPSS, be sure to stop by their booth and say hello!

Calendar of Events

2024 Events

AUGUST

13 |  IFPA Australian Sustainability Summit 2024, Sydney AUS MORE

15 | IFPA & United Fresh NZ Inc. New Zealand Sustainability Summit, Auckland NZ MORE

20 | IFPA Navigating the data landscape Webinar  MORE

20-21 | International Fresh Produce Safety Symposium, Sydney AUS MORE

26-27 | NZFSSRC 2-day Food Safety Culture Workshop, Auckland NZ MORE

28 | IFPA FSMA Final Rule on Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Webinar, MORE

28-30 | RSE and Horticulture Conference, Mount Maunganui NZ MORE

SEPTEMBER

17-18 | SAAFE 2024 Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions Summit, Adelaide MORE

2025 Events

FEBRUARY

24-27 | BerryQuest International, Hobart TAS MORE