Ending world hunger seems like an unattainable goal, but small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) that participate in the agri-food system have advantages that they can take advantage of to offer solutions to this global challenge.
Central America is a region with favorable conditions for the agri-food system but that also has 8.4 million of its inhabitants in a food emergency situation, according to the World Food Crisis Report 2022. This means that they live in an extreme situation of food insecurity and require assistance.
SMEs that market food products typically have to address an entire network of regulations that are difficult to understand. The European Union offers a platform that provides precise and simple information for overcoming this difficulty.
In the industry it is very important to prevent certain global foodborne outbreaks, such as Escherichia coli. The Food and Agriculture Organization offers best practices guidelines to avert the spread of the bacteria.
The Latin American and Caribbean region produces a vast variety of global high-value crops, from traditional staples such as cacao, coffee and sugar, to organic fruit, quinoa, amaranth and acai. However, the lack of information and support mechanisms hinder producers from accessing the high-value agro-food chains.
The science of manipulating atoms and molecules at nanoscale is gaining increasing presence in the products we eat. Reducing smells and changing the appearance or improving the texture of dairy products are some of the uses that we find in the industry.
Strict requirements sucha as those set by the United States through the Bioterrorism Act and food traceability legislation set by European Union have changed the scenario for small and medium-sized producers wishing to export. However, there are opportunities behind these new regulations.
The Codex Alimentarius is a compilation of international standards for the production of food. Under a World Trade Organization agreement, States can regulate the entry of food to their countries in accordance with these rules.
To address foodborne disease, governments and international organizations have created HACCP, a system based on seven principles to ensure food safety.
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