Cost-effective allocation of resources for monitoring dioxins along the pork production chain V.H. Lascano-Alcoser a , M.C.M. Mourits a, ⁎, H.J. van der Fels-Klerx b , L. Heres c , A.G.J. Velthuis a,d , L.A.P. Hoogenboom b , A.G.J.M. Oude Lansink a a Business Economics, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, the Netherlands b RIKILT Wageningen University and Research Center, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708 WB, Wageningen, the Netherlands c VION Food Group, Noord Brabantlaan 303–307, 5657 GB, Eindhoven, the Netherlands d GD Animal Health Service, Arnsbergstraat 7, 7418 EZ Deventer, the Netherlands abstract article info Article history: Received 7 January 2014 Accepted 13 April 2014 Available online 22 April 2014 Keywords: Pork chain Dioxins monitoring Cost-effective analysis Linear programming Resource allocation The pork chain has been seriously affected by dioxin incidents in recent decades. Hence, monitoring dioxins is crucial for detecting contaminations in the pork chain. This study aims to develop a decision support tool (optimization model) to determine cost-effective monitoring schemes for detecting and tracing a dioxin contamination over multiple control points along the pork production chain. The optimization model considers four control points (i.e. at the supplier of fatty feed ingredients, the feed mill, the slaughterhouse and the fat melting facility) and a weekly monitoring period. It was applied to several hypo- thetical contamination scenarios involving contaminated animal fatty feed ingredients. The cost-effective allocation of resources for detecting and tracing the dioxin contamination from an integrated chain approach (i.e. considering all control points) focuses on monitoring at the feed mill, followed by the supplier of fatty feed ingredients and – to a lesser extent – by the slaughterhouse. The number of contaminated feed mills, the frequency of dioxin contaminations, the required level of effectiveness, and the cost of screening are main factors driving the total monitoring costs. Sharing the responsibility of monitoring dioxins within control points along the chain largely reduces the total monitoring costs. In each of the evaluated scenarios, the total costs of monitoring dioxins at individual control points are larger than the costs resulting from an optimal allocation of resources among all control points integrated in one overarching chain monitoring scheme. These results elicit the economic benefits of a chain approach to monitoring dioxins over an approach where each chain actor independently monitors dioxins. The developed model can be used by decision makers in the feed and food industry for determining optimal schemes for monitoring dioxins in the pork chain focusing on preventing specific contaminations. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), from here on termed ‘dioxins’, are ubiquitous environmental pollutants found in human tissues even in cases where neither occupational nor accidental exposure have been reported (Rose, Thomson, Jensen, Giorgi, & Schulz, 2009). Dioxins are toxic at low levels, with proven effects as endocrine disruptors in animals and humans (Hoogenboom, 2009). They bio-accumulate and bio-magnify along the food chain (Schmid et al., 2002). From all possible human exposure pathways, food ingestion is the major route (Rose et al., 2009) with food products of animal origin as the main contributors (Büchert et al., 2001; Huwe, 2002). Feed ingre- dients and/or additives used in compound feed for livestock production have been a main cause of such food dioxin incidents in the past decade (Abalos, Parera, Abad, & Rivera, 2008; Bernard et al., 2002; Heres, Hoogenboom, Herbes, Traag, & Urlings, 2010; Hoogenboom, Bovee, et al., 2004; Hoogenboom, Kan, et al., 2004; Huwe & Smith, 2005; Kim et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2011; Llerena, Abad, Caixach, & Rivera, 2003; Malisch, 2000; Sapkota, Lefferts, McKenzie, & Walker, 2007). The pork production chain has been one of the food sectors seriously affected by compound feed contaminated with dioxins (Bernard et al., 2002; Heres et al., 2010; Hoogenboom, Kan, et al., 2004; Kim et al., 2009). Such incidents may result into large financial implications due to recalls and trade disruptions, as was e.g., the case with the Belgian incident of 1999 (Buzby & Chandran, 2003; Lascano Alcoser, Velthuis, Hoogenboom, & van der Fels-Klerx, 2011), the Irish incident of 2008 (Heres et al., 2010; Tlustos, 2009a, 2009b) and the Chilean incident in 2008 (Kim et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2011). Public and private efforts have taken place to manage dioxin contaminations in feed and food aiming to prevent the occurrence of future incidents. The European Commission Food Research International 62 (2014) 618–627 ⁎ Corresponding author at: Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, the Netherlands. Tel.: +31 317 483950. E-mail address: monique.mourits@wur.nl (M.C.M. Mourits). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2014.04.011 0963-9969/© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Food Research International journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodres