Discover the trends that are most likely to impact the future training of operatives working within the food production industry.

From growing concerns surrounding food fraud and allergy awareness to the possibilities unlocked by AI and automation, there are a wide range of trends to consider when it comes to the future of the food production industry.

These trends will have a significant impact on the training given to food factory workers as they deal with the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

To help you future-proof your operation and prepare the teams working across your site, this article offers a closer look at the top five trends to consider.

1. Sustainable Food Production

There is a growing demand for food production sites to embrace sustainable practices. Now more than ever, consumers are favouring environmentally friendly brands that are doing their bit to cut down on unnecessary waste and energy consumption.

To account for this trend, it is likely that food factory training will continue to centre around the conservation of resources, along with the best ways to avoid wasted stock. Through the careful monitoring of environmental conditions and the effective management of food safety risks, operatives can avoid compromised batches and product recalls.

Training will also need to highlight the growing list of regulations relating to sustainable food production. For example, the WEEE Directive and its relevance to the disposal of electronic equipment. Another prime example is the Environmental Act 2021 and the expectations surrounding food waste separation.

If your site embraces the move from manual processes to digital systems – going paperless – it’s important that you don’t leave behind team members that are less tech-savvy. Ongoing training will help to prevent this, especially if you opt for user-friendly systems.

Discover five solutions for a sustainable food factory

2. Real-Time Data & Performance Monitoring

As mentioned above, an increasing number of sites are going digital, using the insights provided by a Real-Time Wireless Monitoring System to drive standards of efficiency, reduce the risks of wasted stock, and nurture a culture of accountability.

Both now and in the future, real-time wireless monitoring could help you to identify the teams that require further training, along with the areas of your operation that need to be optimised.

Say a freezer door is left open for too long and your products are put at risk, thanks to the system’s automatic alerts, you will not only be able to act fast to avoid a food safety incident, but you will also be able to see which operatives are responsible for this oversight.

You can then drill down into the automatically generated reports to find trends and establish a suitable training programme.

3. Empowerment & Upskilling

As automation and AI take on more tasks, the operatives at your site will need to be upskilled to manage these new technologies, potentially moving away from physical labour to focus instead on the strategic application of important data and insights.

Again, you will need to be careful not to leave behind team members that are less tech-savvy. You will also need to prioritise user-friendly systems that support human-machine collaboration rather than the replacement of labour with technology.

The future also promises increased opportunities for flexible production. For example, 3D printing could allow sites to customise their product on a batch-by-batch basis, producing items that meet specific customer or market requirements. If this becomes a reality, your team will need to be trained in flexible food production.

4. Allergen Awareness and Testing

It would be impossible to consider the future of food production without addressing allergen awareness. The past decade has shown a growing consumer demand for enhanced labelling, an increase in allergen-free options, and improved allergen management within food factories.

There has also been a rise in allergen related legislation and guidelines from the government, along with official bodies like the FSA and BRCGS.

If you are looking to future-proof your operation, prioritising the careful handling of allergens is a good place to start. From effective segregation to reliable allergen tests, there are a wide range of solutions already available.

You should also prepare for stricter guidelines surrounding vegan products, as research shows many consumers living with allergies assume plant-based products are interchangeable with milk-free or egg-free items. To account for this assumption, it is possible that vegan products will eventually be expected to meet allergen-free production and labelling requirements.

View our complete range of allergen testing kits

5. Food Fraud Prevention & Security

BRCGS defines food fraud as the: “fraudulent and intentional substitution, dilution or addition to a product or raw material, or misrepresentation of the product or material, for the purpose of financial gain, by increasing the apparent value of the product or reducing the cost of its production.”

Flourishing on a global scale, food fraud is a serious concern within the food production industry, placing your customers and the reputation of your brand at risk.

To safeguard your operation against this troubling trend, you need to ensure your site is up-to date with the latest information and guidelines relating to food fraud. In fact, BRCGS asks that you circulate key resources from “trade associations, government sources, [and] private resource centres”.

Food fraud should also be a central focus of your Internal Audits, HACCP checks, and Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessments.

Access our guide to safeguarding your site against food fraud

So there you have it, five future trends in food factory training. We hope this has highlighted the key areas to consider when preparing your team for the future of food production.

If you would like to learn more about any of the products or solutions mentioned throughout this article, we would be happy to provide further guidance and resources.

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