(FT) Food Supply Strategies Lesson

Food Supply Strategies 

Food Supply Chain

We often take for granted that we can go to the store and buy any food we want. Why do you think there are so many stages before food can be brought home to the kitchen? So how does food get to your table?

Hundreds of years ago, people relied mostly on foods produced locally. Since then, advances in technology have improved food production, processing, storage and transportation. Consumers now have access to a wide variety of high quality foods from other states and countries.   Consumers also have more choices.

Using new technologies, farmers can produce more and different food. Below are four new methods of agriculture.

Foods come in many forms. For example, in addition to whole apples - you can buy applesauce, frozen apple pie, apple juice concentrate and dried apples. These are all processed foods. Food processing is preparing and handling food for safety, nutrition, convenience and appeal. Even whole apples undergo some processing. They are washed and often waxed to retain their quality longer.

Food Packaging

Packaging keeps food safe, preserves quality, and provides facts about the food inside. Sometimes the packaging serves as a cooking or serving utensil. Newer types of packaging include:

Aseptic Packaging Microwave- Safe Packaging • Allows perishable foods to stay fresh at room temperature for several months without preservatives. • These packages can go directly into the microwave oven and sometimes even a conventional oven. • These packages help reduce waste. Recyclable Packaging

Safe Food Supplies

The government, food industry and consumers share responsibility for the safety of the food supply in these ways:

Government Agencies

Agencies set food safety rules and standards. Agencies help make sure the food industry meets or exceeds the standards.   They also set standards for consumer information such as food labels. The government also has food safety hotlines for consumers

Food Industry

The food industry must obey government rules. This includes farmers, manufacturers, stores, and restaurants. The industry also provides food safety information. That includes consumer hotlines to report food safety problems.

Consumers

Consumers must stay informed and handle food safely from the store to their tables.

Four strategies that can increase the food supply are:

  • Expand the land area used for agriculture
  • Increase the productivity of land now used for agriculture
  • Identify new food sources
  • Increase exports from other countries

Four strategies that can sustain the food supply are:

  • Growers can promote soil health, minimize water use and lower pollution levels on farms
  • Consumers and retailers can purchase value based foods that are environmentally friendly and strengthen the local economy
  • Crop rotation
  • Soil amendments

Four strategies that can protect the food supply are:

  • Wash hands and surfaces often; wash produce before eating
  • Separate food to avoid cross-contamination
  • Cook foods to the right temperature and use a food thermometer
  • Refrigerate perishable foods promptly at 40 degrees or below

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