Food Quality Management : Technological and Managerial Principles and Practice

Consumer understanding of food quality and the ultimate concern for health and food safety increases. This forces actors in agribusiness and food industry to use quality management as a strategic issue in innovation and production. This book describes Food Quality Management in one integrated concept. All relevant aspects of food quality management are brought into one model, which forms the framework for this book. The authors further elaborate on their techno-managerial approach, which starts from the idea that food quality is the combined effect of food behaviour and human behaviour. The contemporary use of technological and managerial theories and models is the core element of this approach. It is used to predict food systems behaviour and to generate adequate improvements to the system. Moreover, special attention is paid to food quality management from a chain perspective. Topics covered include technological food quality properties, quality management and decision making behaviour in organisations. Quality design, control, improvement and assurance are dealt with in detail, with special attention paid to the use of tools and methods. This book describes quality assurance systems currently in use, ranging from international QA-systems like GMP, HACCP, ISO and BRC. Furthermore, policy and business strategy principles are discussed in the framework of food quality management and the concept of TQM receives special attention. Finally, expected future developments in food quality management are considered. This publication is a must-have for students, researchers and agribusiness and food industry professionals active in various areas of food production systems. The integrated approach with technological and managerial principles and practises for analysing food quality management, and valuable information on the latest developments make this book of great importance.