Engineering for food security
Food security is a global priority challenge, as it affects people’s health, well-being and development. The concept of food security involves not only access to food, but also its availability, production and adequate supply.
This is why, in order to ensure food safety, control and regulatory measures are necessary at all stages of the food chain, from agricultural production to processing, transport and storage.
Industrial processes play a decisive role in food safety and, in recent years, we have seen how new technologies and industrialisation have made it possible to increase efficiency in food production, improve preservation and extend the shelf life of products, which helps to reduce food loss and waste.
In this respect, engineering can be the best of allies in ensuring the safety of food products by providing technical and technological solutions to address challenges in food production, processing and distribution. There are many areas of engineering that can contribute to this: from sustainable plant design, to packaging and storage systems that extend the shelf life of food, to the application of sensing and quality control technologies.
Temperature control
Talking about food safety and preservation necessarily means talking about industrial refrigeration systems that contribute directly to a better preservation of perishable products under appropriate temperature conditions.
Temperature control is thus crucial, not only for extending the shelf life of food, but also for slowing down the growth of micro-organisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, which can cause spoilage and food-borne diseases. It is also a key factor in nutrient retention, especially for fresh foods such as vegetables, fruit and dairy products, whose nutrients are particularly linked to proper refrigeration.
Refrigeration systems are great allies for long-term storage, which is especially important in the supply and distribution chain in a global world. Refrigeration and freezing of food products thus provides optimal preservation conditions, facilitating their transport and availability for extended periods without compromising their quality and safety.
Similarly, thermal heating processes are of particular relevance in food industries such as dairy and ready meals, as they have several fundamental functions in ensuring food safety and quality. These processes help to prevent food-borne illnesses, ensure food preservation, and ensure the quality and safety of the food.
Storage technologies
There are a number of storage technologies that can help to extend the shelf life of food and maintain its quality. However, from an engineering point of view, it is important to adapt the storage technology to the type of food and its environmental needs.
Some of the most commonly used storage systems in agri-food engineering are:
- Refrigeration and freezing: as described above, these systems are widely used in the food industry to store perishable foods without compromising their quality and safety.
- Controlled Atmospheres: This technology is based on the modification of the atmosphere surrounding the food to prolong its shelf life. Levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases are adjusted to create optimal conditions. For example, in the case of fruit and vegetables, oxygen can be reduced and carbon dioxide increased to slow ripening and spoilage.
- Dehydration: involves removing moisture from food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms. This method is used for foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.
- Canning and vacuum packaging: Canning is a preservation method that involves sealing food in airtight containers and subjecting them to heat to kill microorganisms and prevent the entry of air and contaminants, maintaining the quality and safety of the food for extended periods of time.
- Heat treatments: Pasteurisation and sterilisation are the most widespread in the food industry and are used to kill or inactivate micro-organisms in food. Both treatments apply heat to reduce levels of bacteria or microorganisms.
Master’s Degree in Food Safety
As part of our commitment to training, we sponsored the 19th edition of the Master’s Degree in Food Safety of the Official College of Veterinarians of Madrid, which came to an end on 28 June.
This initiative has the collaboration of Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Consejería de Sanidad de la Comunidad de Madrid and Consejo General de Colegios Veterinarios de España.
After 9 months of training combining practical and theoretical parts, the students have acquired a comprehensive vision of food safety from a first class teaching staff, mainly from the business, university and health administration sectors.
