Food chain processes and food quality

This chapter examines the relationship between the quality of foods and the processes in the food chains that deliver those foods. Food quality is ultimately a question of consumer perception. Actors in the food chain should have the common goal of delivering high-quality food to consumers. Using quality analysis critical control points (QACCP) might help improve the management of quality in the food chain. The food chain will have to innovate in order to improve sustainability, but this presents challenges. A key problem is that the timescale for innovation may be completely different for different actors within the food chain. The ultimate aim is to offer the customer a final product that has the desired quality at the lowest cost, not only for the consumer but also for the environment. This requires combined action on the part of the various actors in the food chain in order to effectively apply the concept of people, planet and profit, and will call for new approaches.