Study on Traceability System Risk Management of the Food Supply Chain for Chinese infant Accessory Food Industry

概要

【Objective】
　The food traceability system is an important measure to ensure the safety of food supply. Due to the increasing size and complexity of food supply chains, the quality of food traceability activities is affected by various risks. The objective of this research is to identify and analyze the risk factors which affect traceability system in the food supply chain, focusing on the case of the Chinese infant accessory food industry in particular.

【Method】【Results】
　The relevant literature in general and the food supply chain in particular were analysed and the fuzzy synthetic evaluation method was adopted. The traceability system risks are divided into four categories: management risks, equipment risks, technical risks and environmental risks. According to the assessment results, we can conclude that the overall risk of the supply chain is at a medium level. The degree of risk in the processing and storage phase is the highest, showing management risks are the main reason. The impact of management risk factors on the processing industry is presented as the most critical factor. The resolution of these challenges will be the key to the establishment and improvement of the traceability system in the Chinese infant accessory food industry.
　A cross-industry benchmarking method has been applied to transfer successful strategies and critical success factors of automobile industry that attempt to deal with traceability system risks to the infant accessory food industry. After summarising the experiences and methods of the reference industry dealing with traceability system risks, this research defines three different scenarios: ① The government support scenario, ② The industry guild scenario, ③ The supply chain combination scenario. They all have the same goal to improve the response ability and accuracy of food traceability system. Its effect is measured by the level of user satisfaction. In order to compare the effects of these three scenarios, a normative stochastic model has been built. The parametric data for the model have been estimated, based on historical data, previous literature studies, field research, current policies and development plans of government.

【Conclusion】
　The outputs of simulations performed by the stochastic model show that the best approach to control and reduce the traceability system risk is: to use contracts and agreements to build a vertical joint- business network (scenario 3) as the core, and to appropriately combine it with multi-level government support (scenario 1).
　Furthermore, this study proposes relevant recommendations concerning the different aspects of traceability system risk management. These include the implementation of an effective system of revenue distribution and enhancement of the internal stability of the supply chain. The establishment of a profit and risk sharing chain alliance which will strengthen the collaboration in the different links of the supply chain should be stimulated. Finally, the introduction of regulations and standards to achieve a unified management system covering all phases of food supply chain from production, processing to distribution all the way to consumption.