New Pan-European project on food safety

CFA has been invited to contribute to a new EU-funded project that aims to transform the European approach to food safety taking account of the impact of climate change. Looking at grains and fresh produce AMBROSIA will aim to model climate-related risks and their impact on every aspect of the food chain from farm to fork.

Dr Rachel Hackett attended the first meeting, which focussed on scoping the project: “This exciting project brings together experts in climate modelling, food safety and risk assessment from 18 organisations across Europe and the UK to share information on what is an accelerating threat to food safety and food security. We have made input on the project’s deliverables to help ensure it address real gaps in shared knowledge in the understanding of climate change, specific effects on particular foods and identify the truly relevant support needed by geographical regions, socioeconomic groups and crops and agronomic systems.”

The AMBROSIA team are currently developing the systems and, having consulted on this important first stage, will gather stakeholders together again in 2026.

4 September 2025

Domestic fridge design comes in from the cold?

Domestic fridge design has remained largely unchanged from a consumer’s perspective since their first use in the 1920s. So a long-overdue project, instigated by Karin Goodburn, and funded by FSRN is ongoing using sensor-based technology to improve the design, performance and usage of domestic fridges.

Previous work revealed that the energy consumption of different models of fridges was down, not to design, but to how they were used. Analysis of consumer behaviour is therefore key with focus groups providing insights into how people organise their fridges, food waste management, temperature control, willingness to have their fridges monitored and other considerations. Users prioritise functionality, efficiency, and affordability, with some interest in smart features but they have concerns about cost and privacy.

The next stage comprises further consumer research and testing with potential sensor systems. These may record air temperature, humidity and energy usage, and could also track how many times the door is opened. The use of a camera will monitor what goes in and out of the fridge and where items are stored.

Karin adds: “The temperature at which food is stored is central to all our work in the chilled food industry. Correct conditions must be maintained at every stage of the food chain and yet for decades that final stage – the temperature of our fridges at home – has remained a frustrating variable. I am therefore delighted that this project is looking at the issue and will, we sincerely hope, give us the information required to influence fridge manufacturers.”

The project is being led by London South Bank University and CFA is collaborating along with Food Standards Scotland, University of Leeds, WRAP, and the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Met University.

4 September 2025

SUSSLE2 Heralds New Era for Chilled

CFA’s second Sustainable Shelf Life Extension project (SUSSLE2) concluded successfully in December 2015. All objectives were met by these £1.3m projects, with a unique quantitative microbiological risk assessment being used to underpin identification of a milder heat process than previously recommended, ensuring a safe shelf life for prepared chilled foods whilst reducing energy usage and improving organoleptic properties.

Lead researcher Professor Mike Peck of the Institute of Food Research explains: “The conclusion of this project is a milestone for the chilled food industry. The SUSSLE Process is based on sound scientific principles, with a robust and transparent scientific basis assuring safety at least equivalent to that for the current 10 day rule. Through this research we have identified a new, flexible approach using storage chill temperature and a combination
of factors which can be shown consistently to prevent growth/toxin formation, These are exciting times for the chilled food sector and the keen interest in SUSSLE already being expressed shows the significance of this work.”

Ten CFA Implementation Workshops have trained more than 80 members in the use of SUSSLE to date.

Six major multiples have signed non-disclosure agreements with CFA enabling them to discuss SUSSLE with eligible CFA members exclusively until 1 January 2018. Multiples have been invited to sign up to non-expiring confidentiality terms, but will not be given access to the process validation software, this being restricted to manufacturers. SUSSLE will be accessible by non-member manufacturers signing an NDA, attending an Implementation Workshop, complying with CFA’s Implementation Guidance and paying a licence fee.

Scientific papers relating to SUSSLE are to be published in high impact peer-reviewed journals.

The first of these has now been published: Quantification of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum spore loads in food materials, Applied and Environmental Microbiology doi: 10.1128/AEM.03630-15.

Update:

A second open access paper arising from the SUSSLE projects has been published: Risk presented to minimally processed chilled foods by psychrotrophic Bacillus cereus.

Posted 20 January 2016, updated 2019