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From flour and frozen fruits to chocolate, confectionery and even pet food, all manner of perishable and consumable products are transported all over the world every single day. A dedicated and delicate approach is a must to ensure they are handled safely across the entire food supply chain all the way from harvesting and production through to transportation, storage, final delivery and purchase. At every stage, high food safety standards and procedures are paramount.
“Effective food safety standards are essential not only for protecting public health but also for ensuring regulatory compliance, preserving product quality, and maintaining the integrity of the broader food supply chain,” says Aisha Nazeera, Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Team Leader for Contract Logistics at GAC Dubai.
“With key logistics facilities and activity in the Middle East, connecting Asia, Europe and Africa together, GAC has long-played a major part in ensuring that fast-moving consumer are transported safely, securely and effectively.
"This is to ensure that there is no damage or contamination risk as we handle the cargo, as we want to make sure the cargo is just as high quality as when we received it.”
As a third-party logistics provider, GAC is committed to ensuring only the highest of food safety standards are met throughout our role in the wider food supply chain. That commitment is showcased through our continually evolving processes that are consistently refined to ensure the needs of the cargo and our customers are met.
All in the process
GAC Bahrain’s Warehouse manager, Ali Ashraf, says: “Building a robust and effective set of processes that are comprehensive to manage any food-handling challenges is imperative.
“For example, ensuring our facilities have strict temperature controls to ensure products are stored and transported safely is key. Traceability systems also enable us to track products from supplier to end-user, enabling us to immediately action any issues.
“We also make sure our teams have regular employee training on food safety procedures, as well as ensuring our teams have access to sufficient sanitation products to maintain a clean environment and prevent contamination. And we regularly review and improve our processes where appropriate.
“It is for all these reasons that GAC has become a renowned name - not just in the Middle East, but around the world - for our high level of quality when it comes food handling. Our clients need us to treat their cargo carefully and our commitment to regulations and high safety standards means we can do just that.”
Keeping cool in hot markets
GAC’s teams across the Middle East have household names when it comes to food safety standards due in part to its world-class facilities, many of which have industry leading cold supply chains. These are particularly important due to the region’s high temperatures especially during the summer.
These facilities also include specialised materials and infrastructure that are designed specifically to maintain adequate temperatures throughout the facility. This includes designed dock levellers and air curtains to minimise air flow. Likewise, high-tech electronic systems are consistently monitoring temperature around the clock, generating automatic alerts and reporting any temperature or humidity deviations.
Protecting food and reputations
At its core, GAC understands that the need for food safety comes to down to health and helping to maintain our customers reputation in the wider food supply chain.
“Quality assurance and integrity play a considerable role in maintaining the safety standards of the food we handle,” says Sampath Kumara, QHSSE supervisor at GAC Qatar.
“Food safety issues can be costly for our customers, owing to the additional cost of back tracking and disposals. This can lead to revenue losses, potential fines and damage to our customer’s reputation. We maintain open communication with all our customers when any risks or concerns arise, making sure to record any incidents that arise. If they do, they are thoroughly investigated and immediate actions are taken to prevent any hazards. Thereafter, long term actions and solutions are discussed with customers and other stakeholders.”
Learn more about GAC’s approach to safe food handling processes in our latest Food safety behind the scenes at GAC Qatar .
