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25 June 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Prof Arno Hugo recently participated in a session on food with integrity during a webinar by the Integra Trust, where he presented a lecture focusing on the importance of food traceability and the information communicated to the consumer.
In the complete process between farm and fork, consumers are looking for someone to hold accountable if their animal welfare, product quality, and product safety expectations are not met.

On World Sustainable Gastronomy Day earlier this month (18 June 2020), Prof Arno Hugo from the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology’s Food Science division at the University of the Free State (UFS) participated in a webinar by the Integra Trust, titled Heal the Land, Heal the People.

The Integra Trust was established to advance climate-smart sustainable and regenerative agriculture. It values the production, distribution, and utilisation of food with integrity in order to heal the land and the people.

Integra Trust strives to promote agriculture that has a limited footprint on the environment.

Prof Hugo’s lecture during the session on food with integrity, focused on the importance of the traceability of food and the information communicated to the consumer. 

Physical and emotional connectedness to farm and the producer
According to him, modern consumers want to know where their food comes from and want to be physically and emotionally connected to the farm and the producer. In the case of meat, for example, they want to know if the meat they buy is ethically produced and whether the animal was treated in a humane manner during the slaughter process. They also want a guarantee that the food they buy is free of harmful substances.

Prof Hugo states: “The consumer’s need for origin-based food is now playing out in a variety of ways, as food processors and retailers are labelling their products according to the origin of the product. One way of achieving this, is through a good traceability system.”

In his presentation, he focused on traceability from a meat industry perspective.

“Thus, in a good traceability system, a product on the store shelf can easily be traced back to the farmer and the farm where the food was originally produced. In modern traceability systems, it is even possible for the consumer to take the product in the store to a scanner that can read the ‘barcode’ and then showing a photo of the farmer and the name and location of the farm where it was produced,” explains Prof Hugo.

Food traceability important from food safety point of view
“Despite the consumer’s emotional need to connect with the farm and the producer, food traceability is also extremely important from a food security and food safety point of view,” he adds.

Although in its simplest form, it is a comprehensive process of keeping record of suppliers and customers in order to allow reconstruction of the product chain in case of need, it is doable. “In Europe, some 25 million cattle per year are now slaughtered with full traceability. The challenge of providing a secure form of identity through this process, is therefore a formidable one. This is achieved with the use of modern technologies such as Blockchain and DNA technology,” explains Prof Hugo. 

Joining him in the session on food with integrity were, among others, Errieda du Toit, chef, food writer, and culinary commentator (talking about perceptions in terms of difference between fast food and story food, asking if it is driven by social media) and Christiaan Campbell, chef and food consultant (talking about achieving synergy and communication between producer and consumer via the food value chain). Steven Barnard of Farmer Kidz presented a session focused on the younger generation, focusing on why it is important to connect children with food production.

News Archive

New projects will enhance the infrastructure on our campuses
2011-02-04

 
Illustration:
The university's Main Gate in Nelson Mandela Avenue, as designed by The Roodt Partnership Architects.
 

A new entrance to the Main Campus, a high-performance centre, commercial gymnasium, rock-climbing wall, memorial garden for women and a botanical garden are but a few of the number of building and renovation projects that will take place at the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein. A number of projects are also being done on the Qwaqwa Campus.
On the Main Campus the entrance in Nelson Mandela Avenue is being adapted to match the university’s new corporative identity which was introduced last week. This project will be completed at the end of March 2011,
 
The creation of an environment conducive to the development of its students in the field of teaching, learning and research, as well as sports and culture is one of the main reasons why the UFS is renovating existing buildings and developing new infrastructure.
 
With the construction of a high-performance centre and commercial gymnasium, the university wants to create a work environment for its staff that will not only contribute to the cultivation of maximum work performance, but also to staff wellness. The centre with its foyer and administrative offices will furthermore consist of a health desk, university sports institute, sports sales, a spinning and aerobic centre, and dressing rooms. The total area will extend over 2114 m² and the construction will take approximately 18 months. This development will take place on the western side of the university’s Main Campus, directly opposite the Furstenburg Gate and next to the new student housing.
 
The UFS is also progressing well with other building projects which commenced last year. One of the projects is a new Education Building which is being constructed opposite the UFS Sasol Library. Upon completion this building will be used for the training of maths and science teachers in the Foundation Phase. It will include three classrooms for 100 students each and an auditorium for 225 students as well as an office block. The auditorium will also be used as a classroom. The building has been designed according to environmentally friendly principles to save water and use power effectively. It should be completed this year.
 
Planning for the construction of more student accommodation on the Main Campus as well as the Qwaqwa Campus is already well underway. On the Qwaqwa Campus, a residence with 200 beds is being constructed. This also includes a computer laboratory. According to the planning, this residence should be completed by the end of the first semester in 2011. Furthermore, four residences will be constructed on the Main Campus. These residences are in the planning phase.
 
In order to place technology within reach of Kovsie students and thereby empowering them, computer laboratories were installed at the respective residences. The computer laboratories will eventually make provision for approximately185 computers for student use. Proper security is also planned to safeguard the equipment.
 
Work to a new building for the Faculty of Health Sciences is also proceeding rapidly on the site where the vehicle pool and Hertz were previously used. This will include a lecture hall for 200 students, five venues for 100 students each, as well as offices. Students from the School for Medicine and Occupational Therapy will make use of these facilities.
 
The new building for the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences between the Flippie Groenewoud Building and the Wynand Mouton Theatre is also coming along nicely.
 
On the university’s Qwaqwa Campus a new Education building is being constructed. This building will include a lecturing hall with 100 seats, four 50-seat classrooms, six offices, ablution facilities, a biology and science laboratory, as well as an information technology laboratory for 60 students.
 
In the meantime, existing buildings are being renovated on all the campuses. This includes, amongst others, improvements to the Architecture Building, the Biotechnology Building and the quarters for service workers on the Main Campus. Other improvements that have already been completed include the renovation of the Odeion’s foyer and the Callie Human Centre.
 
In future, students, staff and visitors to the UFS can also look forward to a rock-climbing wall at the Student Centre on the Thakaneng Bridge, a memorial park for women, residential accommodation within a sports environment, and a botanical garden.

 

Media Release
03 February 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

 

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