World Metrology Day 2023 Celebrates the Importance of Measurements in the Global Food System
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World Metrology Day 2023 Celebrates the Importance of Measurements in the Global Food System
May 20th marks World Metrology Day, the annual event that highlights the critical role of measurements in our daily lives. This year, the event focuses on the theme “Measurements supporting the global food system”. From the international trade of grain to online weighing of pre-packaged goods, accurate measurement plays a crucial role in ensuring fairness and transparency.
Food is a major concern for everyone. By the end of 2022, the world population reached 8 billion people. This, together with the depletion of natural resources and the impact of climate change, is posing increasing challenges to the global food system. Measurements play a pivotal role in supporting the global food system. From farm to fork, precise measurements ensure food quality, safety, and fair trade practices.
For example, in agriculture accurate assessments of soil composition and moisture levels help optimise crop growth and prevent overuse of resources. But metrology also plays a vital role in ensuring food safety by enabling precise monitoring of pesticide residues, contaminants, and nutritional values. Additionally, measurements are vital in promoting fair trade and equitable transactions. Precise measurements enable consistent quantification of produce, reducing disputes and ensuring fair prices – for instance by preventing the underfilling of packages or misleading labelling of product quantities.
Pyramide van herleidbaarheid
To ensure quality, safety and fair trade, food standards must be met. Om consistente normen te handhaven moeten alle metingen worden uitgevoerd volgens het SI-stelsel. In order to maintain consistent standards, all measurements should adhere to the SI system, which is the internationally recognised metric system encompassing uniform units of measurement for various quantities like distance, mass, speed, and temperature.
National metrology institutes (NMIs), such as VSL in The Netherlands, manage and develop national primary measurement standards based on these international units. In other words, the SI and the NMIs are the basis for all food measurements. Thus ensuring that all stakeholders, from laboratories and producers to supermarkets and consumers, can rely on a globally traceable and high-quality food system.
Raising awareness for metrology
As we observe World Metrology Day, it is important to acknowledge the indispensable role of accurate measurement in supporting food security, waste reduction and fair trade practices, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future. The annual event is established to commemorate the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875, and organised by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML), in participation of the national organisations responsible for metrology.
