In my research on the future of the food chain, I naturally look at developments from government and legislation. European food watchdog EFSA has outlined a new strategy called 'EFSA Strategy 2027'.
The new Transparency Regulation has further expanded EFSA's role which will certainly start to be felt in practice. EFSA is no longer only concerned with food safety, but is now increasingly focusing on animal welfare and the environment. And that has to do with the broad EU policy developments, such as the Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy, the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the Biodiversity Strategy.
The new strategy revolves around three strategic objectives:
1. Providing reliable scientific advice and communication of risks in the food chain from farm to fork.
2. Ensure preparedness for future risk analysis needs.
3. Empowering people and ensuring organisational agility.
I have been walking around food regulation for more than 25 years. With the 'old Food Inspection Service' the start of General Foodlaw and the current web of EU regulations. Practice has taught; the more knowledge and science, the more regulations.
Thus, with EFSA itself becoming responsible for further expanding the science in the food chain, combined with animal welfare and environment, regulation in the food chain will only increase. The risk analyses for food safety systems will be further expanded step by step with new scientific knowledge, including in the field of animal welfare and environment. Even more directives and even more bureaucracy in your business. At least, if you don't want to automate. Because that, of course, is what EFSA (and NVWA) want. Data (statistics) is becoming the new magic word. To pull all this off, you must have a very efficient, agile and highly developed business in the food chain to keep up with these rapid developments. If small food companies want to survive in the future, they will have to take action. On their own, they will not make it, and the question is whether the current industry organisations (can) respond sufficiently to future developments. # food chain
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