Ensuring food safety in a circular economy
Circular production promises vast benefits towards sustainability across all dimensions – economic, environmental and social. Yet, it also implies a significant departure from the linear “take-make-use-dispose” model of the current system.
Circular economies are critical to achieving the transformation needed for our agrifood systems to guarantee adequate food for all produced within the planetary boundaries. At the same time, this transformation requires adapting food safety policies and principles to ensure that food remains safe.
The FAO food safety foresight programme is actively working in this area and released a report, Food Safety in a Circular Economy, that provides an analysis of current and emerging evidence on food safety risks in circular food production systems. The report examines in depth four major dimensions of concern – water scarcity, food loss and waste, food packaging waste, and land use efficiency.
The transformation towards circular agrifood systems relies on the use or re-use of alternative water sources, food waste and by-products, and food packaging, among others, for their considerable promise in improving environmental sustainability and delivering potential gains for socioeconomic sustainability.
Yet, there is mounting evidence that various microbiological, chemical or physical contaminants can be introduced and will potentially accumulate during these circular processes. These food safety risks, if left unmitigated, could lead to unsafe food and pose threats to commercialization.
Addressing potential food safety concerns in a circular economy – through regulation, consumer awareness and targeted research – will be key to transforming agrifood systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Researchers, farmers, product and food manufacturers, regulators and consumers all play a role in supporting the transformation to safe, circular agrifood systems.
Download the report, infographic and open-access article in Nature.
For more information
Food safety in a circular economy briefs:
