What is the role of logistics in food safety and quality?

Logistics staff are responsible for the maintenance of the characteristics of WFP foods (quality, safety and self-life) throughout the supply chain activities of transport and storage. This can be achieved with the adoption of proper practices:

• Inspect the condition (cleanliness and soundness) of all trucks, boats, containers, warehouses or stores intended for WFP foods, prior to their loading / use.
• Apply written procedures (SOPs) to ensure proper handling and eliminate losses during loading, re-bagging, fumigation, application of desiccants etc.
• Follow a commodity reception programme for the inspection (superintendence) of consignments upon arrival with the use of a competent inspection company and the recording of receipts or any quality-related issues
• Deploy a lot coding system to track every finished good. WFP’s “Lot Code” on the finished good is a day and year code, followed by the supplier code
• Establish hygiene standards for food storage and handling.
• Apply rodent and pest control programme (Pest Management) involving both an outside pest control contractor, as well as in-house monitoring.
• Document and maintain records of all inspections and activities (loading, reception, dispatch, remedial actions: fumigation, re-bagging, cleaning etc.) and ensure traceability of all manipulations.

Click here to find all WFP SOPs.