Ensuring the Integrity of our Food Chain

Professor Christopher Elliott discusses some of the ways we can ensure food integrity. In particular, he describes some of the opportunities which technology offers the sector.

In the previous section, we outlined some of the key challenges in the food sector and how these can impact the integrity of our food chain. However, where there are challenges there are also opportunities. The industry, research, government and consumers all have a role to play in helping to ensure the integrity of our food chain.

In particular, the following methods, procedures and innovations are in place or ongoing to ensure the integrity of our food system:

• Food policy, legislation and regulations
• Research and evidence based decision making
• Monitoring and enforcement
• Analytical Methods and procedures
• Technology and digitalisation in the food chain
• Consumer education

In particular, the fourth industrial revolution is becoming an increasingly important area to help us develop a food system that is based on the seven principles of food integrity. The fourth industrial revolution refers to how technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics, 3D printing, the internet of things and advanced wireless technologies, among others, are merging with humans’ physical lives. In the food chain, it is helping us to trace and track our foods, and when combined with science, it can help to ensure we are collecting accurate information (e.g. remote sensing technologies).

What we would like you to do

Please share your thoughts on the methods and procedures in place to ensure the integrity of our food system:

• Do you think they are all important? Why/Why not?
• Do you think we should increase the use of technology and digitalisation in the food system?

Please note that due to Covid-19, all our video contributors had to record themselves using a laptop or smartphone. As a result, the audio quality is not optimal. We apologize for the inconvenience. Should you want to better understand the video content, we have provided the English audio transcript in the downloads section below.