New research highlights gaps in the baking sector

A press survey conducted by the company revealed several challenges hindering the gradual development of the bakery industry in Uganda.

A study by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) shows that lack of access to modern baking equipment and awareness of standards is threatening the standards set by regulatory bodies. Other challenges include; inadequate cold chain infrastructure, shortage of skilled labor and technical knowledge, inconsistent enforcement of standards, and insufficient regulatory control and monitoring to ensure quality and safety.

The study entitled The “Identification of Standards Gaps in the Baking and Confectionery Industry (IDE-STABACO)” conducted from January 2021 to July 2023 was conducted in collaboration with the Science Grants Council Initiative (SGCI) II.

Professor Charles Muyanja, Principal Investigator from Makerere University’s Department of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering, and co-investigator, Mr Hakim Mufumbro from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), told the Monitor on June 19 that the aim of the research is to identify existing standard gaps in the bakery and confectionery industry in Uganda and propose solutions to eliminate them.

He said the findings were crucial to improving the understanding and implementation of quality and safety standards in the industry.

“One of the biggest challenges (respondents/bakers) talked about was production equipment. Most of their equipment is outdated and sometimes difficult to clean, which affects the quality and safety of the products, which is not very good for consumers,” said Prof. Muyanja. He added;

“So as a consumer you are not sure whether what you eat is safe. The good thing is that you don’t go where they make the products from. Otherwise, if you go there, you may not eat their products.”

Researchers delved into the bakers’ competencies.

“What has essentially been noted in this sector is a lack of awareness of the standards that govern the sector. And most of the bakers, when we spoke to them, said that they acquired their baking knowledge from friends, mothers or relatives and most of them lack training in baking, which makes it difficult to understand the standards,” Professor Muyanja stated.

To increase awareness and use of standards set by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), the standards are currently being translated into Luganda and Kiswahili.

“I hope that if more funding is provided, these standards will be translated into other languages ​​to increase their uptake so that the products manufactured will be accredited and able to reach a wider market,” Professor Muyanja said.

During a knowledge clinic on the baking and confectionery industry in Lira City on June 19, bakers without a UNBS certificate stated that they could not break into the market.

However, if they achieve certification, they are optimistic that they can sell their products to a variety of consumers and break even.

Ms. Fortunate Ahumuza of Mbarara-based Luscious Bakes Uganda previously noted that learning about standardization would give them a competitive advantage over other bakers.

According to UNCST’s Geoffrey Sempiri, who is also the SGCI coordinator in Uganda, the industry knowledge clinic series focuses on disseminating key findings from the study.

“Before the dissemination workshop begins, the professor (Muyanja) gives each participant a blank piece of paper on which they can write down at least two problems they think they have in their baking industry,” he said. He added;

“The interesting thing is that in fact the problems they are reporting are the same problems included in the report. “It therefore shows that the research has actually been carried out and is very representative of the actual situation on the ground.”

Edward Kizza, UNBS Standards Officer, trained 60 bakers in northern Uganda on, among other things, the required standards for bakery products, hygiene, labeling and packaging, as well as standards implementation strategies.

Recommendations
The study recommended ongoing professional development and training programs necessary to improve skills and knowledge of best practices, as well as increased efforts to educate and train key players on compliance requirements.

“The government, together with the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, UNBS and academia, must develop short training courses on food safety and baking aspects so that most people are competent in baking. Yes, this is how we can improve this sector,” concluded Professor Muyanja.