Efficiency of Agro-Industrial Product Quality Assessment Systems: International Practices and Challenges for Georgia

Abstract

The assessment of agro-industrial product quality is a significant component of modern economic systems, influencing food safety, consumer trust, export potential, and national competitiveness.

The aim of this study is to analyze the efficiency of international agro-industrial product quality assessment systems and to identify opportunities for their adaptation to Georgia.

The research is based on comparative, institutional, and systemic analysis. Particular attention is devoted to Codex Alimentarius standards, HACCP principles, ISO 22000, the European Union’s “Farm to Fork” approach, the United States’ preventive control system, and the opportunities offered by digital traceability technologies.

Codex Alimentarius is internationally recognized as a set of standards, guidelines, and codes of practice designed to ensure food safety and fair trade, while within the WTO SPS Agreement it serves as an international reference framework for food safety regulation.

The findings demonstrate that quality assessment systems in developed countries are based on risk-oriented, integrated, and technologically supported approaches. In the case of Georgia, major challenges remain, including weak control of primary production, insufficient digital traceability, difficulties faced by small producers in adapting to international standards, and the need to strengthen institutional capacities.

The paper proposes an Integrated Digital Quality Assessment Model (IDQAM), which integrates standardization, institutional control, HACCP, laboratory assessment, digital traceability, data analytics, and support mechanisms for small producers.