On behalf of Mars Incorporated we are pleased to submit the attached description to the Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition. The attachment describes how Mars is addressing the challenges that unsafe foods present to food security through a network of partnership which are integral components of our comprehensive global food safety strategy.
We welcome the opportunity to participate in the planned panel discussion in October at CFS 44 to further elaborate on these unique partnership activities that are having positive impacts on nutrition and that will enhance the likelihood that the Decade of Action on Nutrition and other initiatives will be achieved.
Likewise we are prepared to provide additional information or resource material that is mentioned in this document.
Regards,
J.B. Cordaro
Proponent
Mars, Incorporated
Date/Timeframe and location
Mars Incorporated’s food safety strategy recognizes that food safety is global, impacts all food systems and is a fundamental of food security and nutrition. The food safety challenges faced by the world today are complex and multifaceted. While Mars believes that industry has a key role in helping find solutions, no single entity can do this alone. Mars’ has employed a precompetitive and collaborative approach to food safety for more than a decade and recently opened the Mars Global Food Safety Center in China in 2015 to drive and support ongoing and new partnerships, collaborations, research and key food safety commitments. These additional partnerships are referenced below in Main responsibility entity.
Main responsible entity
Mars partnerships address food safety challenges in food systems as follows: (1) Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) to help mitigate the harmful impacts of aflatoxins since 2015; (2) IBM on new approaches to address pathogen management, “Sequencing the food Supply Chain” since 2014; (3) creating capability through training with the World Food Programme (WFP) since 2015; (4) addressing aflatoxin and other food safety challenges, such as low moisture foods, with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) since 2015; (5) working with the Global Food Safety Partnership at the World Bank since 2014; (6) collaborating with the US Grocery Manufacturer’s Association since 2015); (7) working with the China Children’s and Teenager Fund since 2016); (8) helping with regulatory capability building and connectivity with the China Food and Drug Association and China AQSIQ since 2016; (9) The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition- Business Platform for Responsible Nutrition (GAIN-BPNR) since 2013; and (10 several academic and university partnerships, such as Cambridge University; UC Davis; Cornell University, University of Maryland / JIFSAN, University Laval, Canada and Queens University, Belfast.
Nutrition context
Ensuring all people access, safe and nutritious foods is one of the key global challenges being pursued within the United Nations communities to implement the ICN2, achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially SDG 2 and pursue a Decade of Action for Nutrition.
There is no dispute that the safety of foods we consume influences nutrition, health and well-being, cognitive capability and economic opportunities which shape national and global development. Unsafe foods have debilitating human, economic and social consequences. The significance of food safety and its relationship to nutrition within food systems cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, this link has not been fully appreciated by decision and policy makers when they address food security and emphasize production perspectives.
Mars addresses safety and nutrition simultaneously to achieve all components of the UN definition of food security and to fulfill the aspirations of the UN global initiatives to help ensure safe and nutritious foods. Over the past decade, Mars has made several commitments to create greater awareness of the linkages among food security, nutrition and food safety to: (1) help mitigate the existence of mycotoxins, including aflatoxins with prevention and mitigation expertise; (2) enhance quality control and safety processes; and (3) enable good manufacturing practices.
These commitments require building additional partnerships, new technologies and forever commitments to make positive impacts. Such collaborations cannot be viewed as one and done as new threats continue to emerge, such as food fraud.
Key characteristics of the food system(s) considered
Mars positions food safety and quality initiatives across every element of a food system where risks to safety and quality can occur. A snapshot of a key compelling global statistics from WHO, FAO, PACA and the USA’s CDC align to paint a gloomy picture of the negative health, social and economic impacts of contaminated foods:
- 4.5 billion people a year are exposed to mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, which contaminate 25% of the world’s food supply
- 1 in 10 people on our planet suffer from eating unsafe foods; 600 million people fall ill; 420,000 die; and 33 million “healthy life years” are lost
- 40% of foodborne disease incidents occur among children under 5, mostly in Africa and SE Asia, with 125,000 deaths; survivors suffering from chronic infections and stunting
- Sub-Sahara Africa has highest rates of aflatoxin-related liver cancers, especially in women
- Small scale farmers cannot break the poverty cycle; incomes remain depressed from unmarketable, rejected, contaminated commodities
- 600 million to $1bn in lost earnings are aflatoxin-related.
These facts underscore the significant and pervasive nature of the food contamination throughout food systems. Vigilance must be maintained from agricultural production- harvesting, post-harvest handling, storage and transportation-- to processing, packaging, storage and distribution within the manufacturing sector and the end user- consumers, and how they store, handle and consume food products.
Key characteristics of the investment made
Mars utilizes a combination of monetary and in-kind resources to support a global network of uncommon partnerships and collaborations to address global food safety challenges. At the core Mars: (1) utilizes its tools, capabilities, scientific expertise as well as food safety and quality management expertise of internal associates that help raise the food safety bar; (2) targets partnerships in regions at high risk with associated aspects of food safety challenges and networks these pieces together; and (3) Global Food Safety Center (GFSC) provides a focal point for research, knowledge generation, scientific dissemination, information exchanges and capability building through training.
The Mars Global Food Safety Center (GFSC) which opened in Huairou, China in September 2015 is a global hub and state-of-the-art research and training facility designed to drive a global focus on addressing food safety challenges through partnerships and collaborations on a pre-competitive basis. This reach extends beyond the knowledge generated and shared on site to a far reaching global network of food safety research partnerships and collaborations, sharing knowledge from global experts and collaborators as well as operational insights from Mars facilities around the world. The intent of the GFSC is to build food safety capability leading to better food access, availability and nutrition, reduced food waste and increased overall quality of life. The GFSC represents Mars’ ongoing commitment to working with world-leading experts to improve food safety and security through a diverse network of academia and global relationships.
Key actors and stakeholders involved (including through south-south/triangular exchanges, if any)
Mars Global Food Safety Center provides a one-of-a kind focal point for Mars’ partners and other researchers, listed above in “Main responsible entity,” to share information, internship programs, training, scientific conferences, technical exchanges and talent development for industry and regulatory agencies. These relationships support food safety activities through our partners in numerous countries such as Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Malawi, Senegal, Gambia, Thailand, Uganda, India and China to achieve positive impacts that enhance food safety and quality.
Key changes (intended and unintended) as a result of the investment/s
The cumulative effect of the numerous Mars food safety investments can be observed in these areas: (1) research findings for using data to identify risks and trends in the global food supply chain; understanding food safety in the context of forensics and next generation sequencing; valuing food safety opportunities offered by next generation sequencing versus traditional culture methods; (2) significant increased awareness of the challenges from food safety problems and exploration for new solutions; and (3) highlighting the willingness for business to commit resources and operational insights to food safety and public health problem solving and to be recognized as an inclusive partner among other stakeholders.
Challenges faced
Success often comes with challenges faced and overcome. Mars partnerships attest with these examples: (1) building internal capacity to nurture and support partnerships; (2) unlocking and resolving intellectual property matters; (3) matching internal expectations with external realities and expectations; (4) managing the complexity and magnitude of the interdependencies related to these issues; and (5) appreciating the complexity of the shifting landscape.
Lessons/Key messages
- Food safety is an essential element of food security and must be embedded within policy and decision making related to food security and its performance.
- New food safety threats are emerging and exacerbating known issues.
- Harmful human, social and environment and economic impacts of unsafe foods are significant and pervasive.
- Food safety is a global public health issue with an unsustainable status-quo that requires urgent action and transformative thinking. Food safety is:
- Both a developing country problem and a developed country challenge
- Food supply chains are no longer restricted by regional boundaries as issues in one part of the chain can have far reaching impacts
- More than an occasional problem, but a forever problem that must be addressed every day
- Solutions must be sustainable and contribute to access to safe nutritious food
- Since no single entity can address the global food safety challenges, collaboration and pre-competitive partnerships are essential to problem solving.
- Business plays key problem solving roles by, among other things sharing data, unique expertise, and experiences that can have a very positive influence on the quality and safety of the world’s food supplies.
- Proof of concept is critical for synergy between “In-kind” and monetary contributions for partnerships to be fully realized.
- Improving food safety globally requires the development of new technologies, sustainable commitments and human and institutional capacity development.
- Clarity and focus of purpose is best obtained by addressing a limited number of foundational challenges to advance food safety capabilities the fastest.
If food is not safe, it is not food—all our lives depend on safe, nutritious food!
Mr. J.B. Cordaro