Learning Package 5 - Food Logistics and Safety

17 AUG 2020

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Food logistics or supply and food safety are two major components in ensuring food security. The processes involved in these areas are often taken for granted in our everyday lives. When a crisis strikes, everyone from “farm to fork” is affected, and any potential risk or disruption shines a spotlight on the entire food supply chain.

In 2018 and 2019, Singapore topped the Global Food Security Index of 113 countries, making us one of the most food-secure nations in the world. In contrast, an estimated 820 million people around the world do not have enough to eat as they face challenges such as poverty, lack of agricultural infrastructure and access to essential vitamins and minerals.1 However, Singapore imports over 90 percent of our food supply, and is extremely vulnerable to fluctuations in global food supply and prices.2 Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed these risks first hand, and experienced the potential disruptions to our everyday lives, from our food and beverage businesses to supermarket shopping.3 This is why Singapore is gearing up to meet the goal of producing 30% of her nutritional needs by 2030.4

Food safety involves the safe preparation, packing and storage of food to prevent biological, chemical and physical contamination.5 Such contamination can occur at any point in the food supply chain including at home. According to the World Health Organization, almost 1 in 10 people in the world or an estimated 600 million fall ill after eating contaminated food. Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, parasites or chemical substances causes more than 200 diseases.6 Issues such as food fraud through adulteration and tampering, lack of a robust track and trace system and lax food safety standards have adverse effects on food logistics.7

The global food supply chain has become increasingly complex with globalization. Population growth and changes in consumer habits create both opportunities and challenges to food logistics and safety.8

To learn more about food logistics/supply and safety, check out the resources listed below.

Websites

1. The big read: Singapore has been buttressing its food security for decades. Now, people realise why.

Ng, J.S. (2020, March 23). The Big Read: Singapore has been buttressing its food security for decades. Now, people realise why. CNA. Retrieved 2020, June 16.

2. Sustainability and the global food supply chain

EIT Food. (2020). Sustainability and the global food supply chain. Future Learn. Retrieved 2020, June 15.

3. COVID-19 and the risk to food supply chains: How to respond?

Cullen, M.T. (2020, March 29). COVID-19 and the risk to food supply chains: How to respond? Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 2020, June 16.

4. Food safety

Food safety. (2020, April 30). World Health Organization. Retrieved 2020, June 16.

5. Food safety supply chain risk management

Chasen, R. & McGinnis, T. (2020). Food safety supply chain risk management. Deloitte. Retrieved 2020, June 16.

6. Food safety: Food processing

Food Processing. (2020). Food safety: Food processing. Food Processing. Retrieved 2020, June 15.

Videos and Podcasts

1. Southeast Asia’s food supply chain could be upended

Source: Southeast Asia’s food supply chain could be upended. (2020, April 24). CGTN. Retrieved 2020, June 15.

2. Future of food: Farming in the age of climate change

Source: Future of food: Farming in the age of climate change. (2017, November 22). Quartz. Retrieved 2020, June 15.

3. Food for the future – A short documentary

Source: Food for the future – A short documentary. (2017, October 13). European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Retrieved 2020, June 15.

4. World Food Safety Day 2020

Source: World Food Safety Day 2020. (2020, March 19). World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 2020, June 16.

Ebooks

1. The chain: Farm, factory and the fate of our food

Genoways, T. (2014). The chain: Farm, factory and the fate of our food. HarperCollins. Retrieved from OverDrive. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

2. A bone to pick: The good and bad news about food, with wisdom and advice on diets, food safety, GMOs, farming, and more

Bittman, M. (2015). A bone to pick: The good and bad news about food, with wisdom and advice on diets, food safety, GMOs, farming, and more. Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale. Retrieved from OverDrive. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

3. Food safety: The science of keeping food safe

Shaw, I. C. (2018). Food safety: The science of keeping food safe. Wiley. Retrieved from OverDrive. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

4. Corporate social responsibility, social justice and the global food supply chain

Shaw, H. J. & Shaw, J. J.A. (2019). Corporate social responsibility, social justice and the global food supply chain. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from OverDrive. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

5. Hot, hungry planet: The fight to stop a global food crisis in the face of climate change

Palmer, L. (2017). Hot, hungry planet: The fight to stop a global food crisis in the face of climate change. St Martin’s Publishing Group. Retrieved from OverDrive. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

If you are interested to read up further on food logistics and safety, check out the following journal articles and further resources in Chinese, Malay and Tamil.

Journal articles

1. Sensing safety in Singapore, 1900-2015

Tarulevicz, N. (2018). Sensing safety in Singapore, 1900−2015. Food, Culture & Society, 21(2), 164−179. Retrieved 2020, June 17 from EBSCOhost databases via NLB’s eResources website. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

2. The role of smart packaging system in food supply chain

Chen, S., Brahma, S., Mackay, J., Cao, C. & Aliakbarian, B. (2020, February 13) The role of smart packaging system in food supply chain. Journal of Food Science, 85(3), 517−525. Retrieved 2020, June 17 from Proquest Central via NLB’s eResources website. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

3. An Asian way to safeguard food security: Transnational farmland investment

Lin, S.Y. (2017). An Asian way to safeguard food security: Transnational farmland investment. Asian Perspective, 41(3), 481−518. Retrieved 2020, June 17 from Proquest Central via NLB’s eResources website. (myLibrary ID is required to access this ebook.)

4. Food traceability on blockchain: Walmart’s pork and mango pilots with IBM

Kamath, R. (2018, June 12) Food traceability on blockchain: Walmart’s pork and mango pilots with IBM. The Journal of The British Blockchain Association, 1(1), 47−53. Retrieved 2020, June 17.

Chinese, Malay and Tamil resources

1. 我国食品来源多元化 主要供应源有12个

我国食品来源多元化 主要供应源有12个。（2020年3月17日）。8视界。 Retrieved 2020, June 8.

To ensure a constant and reliable food supply and minimise dependency, Singapore imports from varied sources. The Singapore Food Agency works with industry partners and foreign counterparts to ensure our food supply and safety. Other measures include funding for Singapore companies to set up food production companies overseas and educating the public on alternative food products.

2. 首个“世界食品安全日”：全球每年有42万人死于食品不安全

首个“世界食品安全日”：全球每年有42万人死于食品不安全。（2019 年 6 月 6 日）。联合国新闻。 Retrieved 2020, June 12 .

Every year, nearly one in ten people in the world (an estimated 600 million people) fall ill and 420,000 die after eating contaminated food. Unsafe food also hinders development in many low- and middle-income economies, which lose around US$95 billion in productivity associated with illness, disability and premature death suffered by workers. World Food Safety Day is a unique opportunity to raise awareness on the dangers of unsafe food and the important role everyone can play in ensuring food safety.

3. MOH: Pusat makan, restoran hanya dibuka untuk pembelian secara 'bungkus' atau penghantaran

MOH: Pusat makan, restoran hanya dibuka untuk pembelian secara ‘bungkus’ atau penghantaran. (2020, April 3). Berita Harian. Retrieved 2020, June 16.

The Ministry of Health announced that only takeaways and delivery services were allowed for food outlets and restaurants during the Circuit Breaker period. However, it advised that other operational matters such as food safety testing and logistics would continue.

4. உணவு விரயத்தை எதிர்கொள்ள புதிய செயலி

உணவு விரயத்தை எதிர்கொள்ள புதிய செயலி. (5 Jun 2020). Tamil Murasu. Retrieved 2020, June 3.

உணவு அறநிறுவனமான தி ஃபுட்பேங்க் சிங்கப்பூரும் டிபிஎஸ் வங்கியும் இணைந்து இப்புதிய மெய்நிகர் உணவு வங்கி செயலியை அறிமுகப்படுத்தவிருக்கின்றன. உணவு வீணாக்கப்படுவதையும், வசதி குறைந்தவர்களுக்கு உணவு வழங்க உதவும் அமைப்புகளுடன் நன்கொடையாளர்களை இணைக்கவும் இந்தச் செயலி உதவும் என்று தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

To better address food gaps for the vulnerable, a virtual food banking app to has been developed to connect corporate donors with food support organisations.

Disclaimer/ Rights statement
The information in this resource guide is valid as of July 2020 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2020.

References

  1. Liu, V. (2019, December 10). Singapore tops food security index for 2nd straight year. The Straits Times. Retrieved 2020, June 16 from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-tops-food-security-index-for-2nd-straight-year ↩

  2. AVA’s Food Security Roadmap for Singapore (2020, February 27). Singapore Food Agency. Retrieved 2020, June 16 from https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-for-thought/article/detail/ava’s-food-security-roadmap-for-singapore ↩

  3. Tan, H.Y. (2020, April 26). Coronavirus and our new relationship with food. The Straits Times. Retrieved 2020, June 16 from https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/coronavirus-and-our-new-relationship-with-food ↩

  4. Mahmud, A.H. (2019, March 7). Singapore aims to produce 30% of its nutritional needs by 2030, up from less than 10%. CNA. Retrieved 2020, June 15 from https://channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-produce-30-own-food-from-10-nutritional-needs-11320426 ↩

  5. Food safety and the different types of food contamination. (2019, October 30). Australian Institute of Food Safety. Retrieved 2020, June 17 from https://www.foodsafety.com.au/blog/food-safety-and-the-different-types-of-food-contamination ↩

  6. Food safety. (2020, April 30). World Health Organization. Retrieved 2020, 12 August from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety ↩

  7. Managing food safety along the supply chain. (2020, April 21). Food Logistics. Retrieved 2020, August 12 from https://www.foodlogistics.com/cold-chain/article/21122568/managing-food-safety-along-the-supply-chain ↩

  8. Food safety. (2020, April 30). World Health Organization. Retrieved 2020, 12 August from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety ↩