Quality management, food

Fulks, F.T. (1991) Total quality management. Food Technol. 45(6), 96, 98-101. 

Food quality management aims to realize food quality that complies with or even exceeds customer or consumer requirements. Food quality is not only affected by intrinsic properties and applied technological conditions, but is also influenced by the people who design, control, improve, and assure food quality. While the emphasis of previous chapters is on providing insights into the physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and perception of food colorants, this chapter illustrates the importance of this fundamental knowledge and information for food quality management. 

We have described the CQP concept from a techno-managerial perspective which means that we explicitly pay attention to the roles of both the food and human systems that constitute a food quality management system. The principle beyond the CQP concept is that one need only to control those steps in the process that are critical toward decay of the quality attributes. CQPs must be monitored, documented, and validated in such a way that the system is able to assure a certain quality level. 

Luning, P.A., Marcelis, W.J., and Jongen, W.M.F., Food Quality Management A Techno-Managerial Approach, Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, 2002. 

Van Trijp, J.C.M. and Steenkamp, J.E.B.M., Consumer-oriented new product development principles and practice, in Innovation of Food Production Systems, Jongen, W.M.E. and Meulenberg, M.T.G., Eds., Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, 1998, 37. Luning, P.A. and Marcehs, W. 1., A food quality management functions model. Trends Food Sci. Technol., 18, 159, 2007. 

Luning, P.A. and Marcelis, W.J., A techno-managerial approach in food quality management research, Trends Food Sci. Technol, 17, 378, 2006. 

This volume benefits from the contributions of 22 outstanding scientists from the United States, Brazil, and five European countries who are well known for then-competence, sound backgrounds, and personal research experience in food science and technology and related fields such as biophysics, biochemistry, biotechnology, analytical chemistry, quality management, and food safety. 

For a long time there has been private, in-house quality research, especially in the biodynamic sector and by some larger organic traders and processors. These vary from crystallisation techniques to broad screen residue analyses of raw materials. These in-house quality management schemes are not standard they depend on how seriously the companies take their responsibility towards their clients and/or want to avoid surprises by the food authorities. 

You are employed in an analytical laboratory in a group measuring the concentration of residues of pesticides. Your company is developing tests for a new pesticide to determine the amount that is left in food after harvesting. You are asked to set up a quality management system, because your laboratory s management has decided that the quality of your group s analytical work should be assessed by an appropriate independent authority. 

The example of the textile chain demonstrates (i) how much the techni-cal/aesthetic quality of products and chemicals-related product security are interdependent and (ii) what requirements exist for a quality management system beyond the supply chain level. Only the major brands can take this initiative on a global scale. For cosmetic, medical devices and food products, as well as technical products with high safety requirements (such as aircraft), management systems beyond supply chain level have now become a matter of survival. The same holds true for products that are subject to special waste and design regulations in Europe (such as automotive vehicles and electronic equipment). 

During the last two decades the term quality has become one of the most stressed words in the field of food and food production. The facts behind this are, on the one hand, the traditionally different meanings of the word quality and, on the other hand, the advanced importance of quality and quality management systems as tools for an economical and safe production of food. Quality originates from the Latin language meaning as much as property or characteristic . In relation to food it originally was used as a synonym for freshness and unspoilt . 

Beside the ISO standards there are some other standards which are set up by different organisations and sometimes it is really a problem to fulfil the requirements of the different partners in the food market. Not least because of this situation it is not possible here to go in more details. For further information on quality systems and quality management systems see the specific standards as well as the respective literature. 

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