Food safety has been a growing concern all over the world throughout the last couple of decades. Outbreaks of disease in animals that could be transmitted to humans, or the presence of chemicals above acceptable limits in feed and food, can threaten both the quality and safety of products.

This has been especially true as globalization and world trade have increased the intercontinental transport of goods.

That which once took months or weeks to reach its destination, now only takes a day or two from where it is produced to where it is utilized – in distant places all over the globe. This has benefited the consumer with reduced prices from increased competition, and a wider variety to choose from.

However, these benefits have come to an increased risk of contamination just due to the enormous volumes being shipped and reduced ability to inspect and track all shipments and imports.  As a result,

Puren® has established an enhanced traceability program, while continuously improving the overall standards of our quality assurance programs.

Improved comprehensive product testing of food, dietary supplements, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products is necessary to make sure no adulterants, microbial contaminants, or toxins remain undetected due to the enormous number that can be found.

These toxins include heavy metals, fungal mycotoxins, pesticides, herbicides, industrial contaminants, allergens, radiolytic byproducts from irradiation, and radioactive materials.

Manufacturers need to know which types of contaminants have the greatest probability of contaminating a specific type of product. This is determined by where the product is manufactured, by the nature and source of inputs, the detailed manufacturing process, and the shipping/distribution points for what types of contaminants have the potential to be accidentally or intentionally introduced into a product.  This also brings up the importance of security for product and shipping facilities, since industrial sabotage and terrorist activity may also be a concern.

Finally, another important area to ensure food safety is to improve the sustainability of production for various foods and herbal plant sources. When the supply of an agricultural raw material cannot keep up with demand, or the production is threatened by adverse weather and climate changes, this increases the risk of adulteration to make up for shortfalls or substandard product of questionable quality may be used.

Helping farmers understand the issues of soil conservation, crop rotation, integrated pesticide management, and organic crop production, can help ensure production sustainability and improved the quality of supply.