At last week's North American Sustainable Foods Summit in San Francisco, organised by UK market research firm Organic Monitor, many participants called for greater transparency and accountability in the food industry.
The summit explored the evolution of eco-labels, such as organic, Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, in an increasingly global food industry.
Some argued that international supply chains were causing consumers to become disconnected from agriculture and food production methods and that eco-labels served to strengthen consumer confidence.
Scott Exo, executive director of US-based certification body Food Alliance, called for the 'de-commoditisation' of food products through greater traceability.
Kenneth Ross of Global ID highlighted the importance of IT in combating food fraud and providing traceability to consumers.
The convergence of mobile and internet technologies could, he said, allow consumers to readily access information on the ecological and social footprints of their food products.
Amarjit Sahota, president of Organic Monitor, demonstrated how pioneering organic food companies were integrating sustainability into their corporate strategy and how some eco-labels were starting to converge.
The next Sustainable Foods Summit will take place in Amsterdam on 23-24 June 2011.
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