Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Designing Optimal Aflatoxin Monitoring Schemes in the Dairy Supply Chain

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Risk Assessment
• Supply Chain Management

Background:

• Aflatoxin contamination in animal feed (aflatoxin B1) can transfer to milk (aflatoxin M1), posing risks to public health and causing economic losses.
• Effective food safety monitoring is complex, requiring balancing multiple criteria.
• The Dutch dairy supply chain is a critical pathway for potential aflatoxin transfer from feed to milk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and identify optimal aflatoxin monitoring schemes within the Dutch dairy supply chain.
• To apply Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to a complex food safety problem.
• To integrate stakeholder preferences into the design of food safety monitoring programs.

Main Methods:

• Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) was employed to assess various monitoring schemes.
• Schemes varied in detection intensity (low, medium, high) at feed mills and dairy farms.
• Stakeholder preference weights were elicited from feed industry, dairy industry, and combined supply chain representatives.

Main Results:

• All stakeholders prioritized public health protection.
• Differing priorities were observed regarding monitoring costs, production losses, customer trust, and implementation complexity.
• The feed industry favored high-intensity detection at both control points; the dairy industry preferred medium-intensity at feed mills and high-intensity at farms.

Conclusions:

• The MCDA framework provided a transparent, evidence-based method for selecting optimal aflatoxin monitoring schemes.
• Stakeholder engagement is crucial for developing food safety programs that are scientifically sound and socially acceptable.
• Optimized monitoring schemes can align with global food safety strategies and sustainable development goals.