| In recent years, the concept of green supply chains has been deeply rooted in various industries, especially in electronics-related products. The effects of its implementation are significant, and its impact continues to expand. Therefore, it is generally believed that compliance with green directives is only necessary for the electronics industry. But did you know that the food industry, which is closely related to our daily lives, has also begun to implement green supply chains? What is a food supply chain? It refers to the sequence of stages and operations from primary production to consumption, including the production, processing, distribution, storage, and handling of food and its ingredients, as well as the production of materials that are expected to come into contact with food or raw materials—that is, packaging materials. The Industrial Development Bureau has further clarified that starting this year, the scope of food supply chain certification will be expanded to include both upstream raw materials and downstream packaging materials, broadening the scope of food verification. |
| Green Food and Green Supply Chain Green food does not refer to food that is "green in color," but specifically to safe, high-quality, and nutritious food that is free from pollution. Natural resources and the ecological environment are fundamental conditions for food production. Since things related to life, resources, and the environment are often described as "green," this type of food is named "green food" to highlight its origin in a healthy ecological environment and its ability to bring vitality to people. Currently, food pollution poses a significant threat to human health, drawing global attention. To protect the ecological environment and improve food hygiene and quality, the Ministry of Agriculture has prioritized the development of "green food" as a key product and has strictly established three essential standards: ① The raw material production area must have a healthy ecological environment; ② The growth process of the raw crop and the water, fertilizer, and soil conditions must meet certain pollution-free control standards and be subject to supervision by the Ministry of Agriculture's Environmental Protection Monitoring Center; ③ The production, processing, packaging, storage, and transportation processes of the product must comply with the requirements of the "Food Hygiene Management Law," and the final product must pass food hygiene standard testing before it is allowed to be sold. A green supply chain refers to a process from supplier to production, packaging, processing, and distribution to the customer or consumer that is free from pollution and contains no additives that could harm human health. Green food combined with a green supply chain provides the greatest protection for both consumers and the environment. |
The following three green directives affect the food industry. For details, please visit the SME Green Environmental Protection Information Network (http://green.pidc.org.tw/). 1. PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons): In 2005, Germany had two cases of product recalls due to PAHs, which subsequently extended to the food industry and established standards for food, toys, childcare products, and products that may be put in the mouth. Parameter Category 1: Materials in contact with food or required to be placed in the mouth according to regulations. Category 2: Toy materials not classified as Category 1. Benzo[a]pyrene mg/kg: Not detectable (<0.1). Total amount of 116 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (EPA): mg/kg: 110. 2. Restrictions on plasticizers such as DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, and DNOP: EU 1999/815/EEC, 94/62/EC, 2004/12/EC, 852/2004/EC, and the Food Safety and Sanitation Act all clearly limit the limits for packaging materials in contact with food. 3. Ban on cobalt chloride desiccant: In 1998, the EU (EC) issued Directive 67/548/EEC at its 25th Council meeting, listing cobalt chloride as a potentially carcinogenic substance. EU REACH... The regulations for 29 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) include a cobalt-free humidity card for cobalt chloride. According to the 2009 SME White Paper, there are currently 10,611 food/food packaging companies in Taiwan (food and beverage industry), of which 10,408 are SMEs, representing 98.1%. Their combined output value is NT$416.3 billion. The food industry is directly related to people's livelihoods, but related green requirements are often overlooked. If food products are safe, all is well; but if problems arise, the impact can be immediate and harmful to human health, potentially leading to substantial compensation claims from manufacturers. Therefore, establishing a safe and green supply chain for the food industry is urgent. Methods for this include adopting internationally widely used systems such as HACCP, GAP, GMP, GHP, and ISO 22000. During HACCP implementation, relevant green directives from the Department of Health and international announcements should be included in risk assessments. Hazard control points should be managed and improved, and a complete production and sales traceability system should be established to create a comprehensive food safety and green supply chain. The Small and Medium Enterprise Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs commissioned the Plastics Research Institute to implement the SME Green Supply Chain Guidance Program, which assists manufacturers in collecting green-related directives and helps SMEs take effective measures. Information on relevant directives can be found on the SME Green Environmental Protection Information Network (http://green.pidc.org.tw/). |