SP 2.3

Titel:

Quality Assurance and Use of Quality-related Information in IT- Supported Agrofood Chains

Scientific Co-ordinator:

Prof. Dr. Ludwig Theuvsen Prof. Dr. Achim Spiller

Institutions involved:

Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August Universität Göttingen Professorships of Management in Agribusiness and Marketing for Food and Agricultural Products

Staff:

Dipl.-Ing. agr. Cord-Herwig Plumeyer M. Sc. Jan Bahlmann

Aim of the Sub-project:

The research project aims to identify the status quo of quality-related communication and the use of quality-related information in meat supply chains. The research is motivated by the discrepancy between the requirements of certification schemes and legislation on the one hand and the actual use of information on the other hand. The analysis focuses on two examples:

1. A central database in which the results of more than 65,000 external audits are stored.
2. A large German salmonella monitoring database (pork production).

Against this background, a model for optimizing the use of quality-related information in food supply chains is developed. Specific attention is given to central databases and the collaboration with research partners (processors, standard setters). The research project promises innovative results in the area of information behaviour in food supply chains, the use of databases with regard to quality-related communication and the development of a model for data management and optimization of certification systems in meat supply chains.

Research:

The research project is divided into five interrelated parts:
In the first part, the status quo of quality assurance and certification in European meat supply chains is analyzed based on a literature review and expert interviews. Specific attention is given to the current information structures about quality parameters of audited farms and firms, and the subsequent quality-related communication between supply chain partners.
In the second sub-project, a multivariate analysis of the audit database of the German Q&S system is performed with regard to pork production. This analysis will enable the improvement of the use of data and the development of risk-oriented control and audit strategies. On this basis, indicators for an automated analysis of weaknesses of audit procedures are developed. These routines will be implemented in research project 2.4.
The third part of the project is focussed on an analysis of a large Salmonella monitoring database in the German meat industry. This analysis will enable the assessment of the Salmonella status of farms, the analysis of weaknesses and the identification of the most risky parts of the meat sector. This analysis requires intensive collaboration with the owner of the central Salmonella monitoring database (in this case: Q&S system) and firms that operate decentralized Salmonella databases in the meat supply chain.
We empirically investigate the actual use of quality-related information in meat supply chains. The initial hypothesis is that there is more quality-related information available due to legislation and certification schemes than is actually used by supply chain partners. In fact, many farms and firms do not fully use the available information for improving food hygiene and risk management. This is most relevant in the area of Salmonella monitoring. Therefore, we survey the determinants of information behaviour in food supply chains by sending questionnaires to 500 farms and slaughterhouses in Germany.
In the last sub-project the results developed so far are integrated into a model for optimizing the use of databases as part of a chain-wide quality assurance system. We develop a model for optimizing data management based on the actual information behaviour and a risk-oriented audit and control strategy. This model aims to improve quality assurance systems in meat supply chains by taking into account control necessities and motivational requirements.

Publications:

Gawron, J.-C., Plumeyer, C.-H., Theuvsen, L. (2007):
Certification Systems in the Meat Industry: Overview and Consequences for Chain-wide Communication
in: Paper presented at 3rd International Conference on Quality and Safety in Food Production Chains, Wroclaw, Poland, June 13-15, 2007

Theuvsen, L.; Plumeyer, C.-H.; Gawron, J.-C. (2007): Certification Systems in the Meat Industry: Overview and Consequences for Chain-wide Communication. In: Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 57. Jg., H. 4(C), 563-569.

Schulze, H., Albersmeier, F., Spiller, A. (2006):
Risikoorientierte Prüfung in Zertifizierungssystemen der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft
in: Working Paper 0607, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

Theuvsen, L., Gawron, J.-C., Plumeyer, C.-H. (2007):
Qualitätsanforderungen in Zertifizierungssystemen: Ansatzpunkte für die Messung von Qualität
in: G. LINSS (Ed.), Messbare Qualität. Proceedings of GQW-Conference 2007, Shaker, Aachen, 180-201

Theuvsen, L., Plumeyer, C.-H. (2007):
Certification Schemes, Quality-Related Communication in Food Supply Chains and Consequences for IT-Infrastructures
in: Proceedings of EFITA Conference 2007 „Environmental and Rural Sustainability through ICT“, Glasgow, UK, Juli 2–5, 2007 (in press)

EFITA Paper 2007 L.Theuvsen, C.-H. Plumeyer[EFITA_Theuvsen_Plumeyer.pdf]

Plumeyer, C.-H., Deimel, M. und L. Theuvsen (2008): Qualitätskommunikation und Prozessoptimierung in der Fleischwirtschaft: Recht, Zertifizierungssysteme und Informationssysteme als Einflussgrößen. In: eZAI (elektronische Zeitschrift für Agrarinformatik), Ausgabe 3/2008 www.eZAI.de

Deimel, M.; Plumeyer, C.-H.; Theuvsen, L.: Stufenübergreifender Informationsaustausch in der Fleischwirtschaft: Recht und Zertifizierung als Einflussgrößen. In: Berichte über Landwirtschaft, Heft 2/2009 (im Druck).

Associated Partners:

Helm Software GmbH QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH