Researcher at Stellenbosch University Discusses Research in Food Safety (Forecasting Fruit Export Damages and Enhancing Food Safety through Risk Management): Foodborne Diseases and Conditions – Food Safety

2023 NOV 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- New research on food safety is the subject of a new report. According to news originating from Stellenbosch, South Africa, by NewsRx editors, the research stated, “This study underscores serious issues in the South African fruit export sector, notably highlighting the persistent fruit damage after 2016 that could boost microbial growth, jeopardising food safety.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Stellenbosch University: “To enhance the supply chain and safeguard food, identifying and strategising the types of fruit damage during distribution is critical. The data bring to light intricate and varied trends in damage claims across different fruit types and years, indicating a need to understand each fruit type’s specific vulnerabilities and adjust handling and farming techniques accordingly to minimise losses after harvest. The analysis reveals key insights into seasonal patterns in fruit damage claims, with notable increases especially in January and February, and clear fluctuations throughout the year. Utilising this knowledge, stakeholders can optimise operations and formulate guidelines tailored to high-risk seasons for fruit handling and transportation.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Looking forward, both SARIMA and linear regression models predict an increasing trend in damage claims, highlighting a pressing need for improved planning and risk management strategies. This proactive approach will be crucial in mitigating future damage claims and enhancing food safety amid the growing challenges posed by climate changes and shifting global standards and regulations.”

For more information on this research see: Forecasting Fruit Export Damages and Enhancing Food Safety through Risk Management. Sustainability, 2023,15(21). (Sustainability - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability). The publisher for Sustainability is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115216.

Our news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Francois du Plessis, Department of Logistics, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa. Additional authors for this research include Leila Louise Goedhals-Gerber, Joubert van Eeden.

ORCID is an identifier for authors and includes bibliographic information. The following is ORCID information for the authors of this research: Francois du Plessis (http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7096-4807), Leila Louise Goedhals-Gerber (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2924-4159), Joubert van Eeden (http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9684-2357).

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)