Food Safety: How to Prepare for the Unexpected

Q: How can food manufacturers check the safety and quality of their products?

A: A reliable way to check the safety and quality of food products is through investing in advanced product inspection technologies. There are a variety of solutions available to install along the whole production line. Metal detection systems detect the smallest metal contaminants, while x-ray inspection can find a range of foreign bodies such as glass, bone and rubber.

Other inspection solutions include dynamic checkweighers which detect over- and under-filling, to support compliance. Vision inspection equipment is vital for checking the accuracy of labeling data, such as allergens in ingredients lists.

Q: How important is food safety for food manufacturers and how can they prove due diligence?

A: Food production is a highly regulated industry with varying laws and standards applying in different countries. It is vitally important from a legal point of view to comply with the relevant legislation. Consumers expect it and the law demands it.

Manufacturers can take a variety of actions to prove they have taken all possible steps to produce safe food. These include implementing food safety management systems such as a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) audit, installing advanced product inspection technologies and adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

Q: How does product inspection technology combat rising manufacturing costs whilst checking product safety?

A: There are many ways that product inspection technology can help to combat rising costs. A significant way is enhancing operational efficiency. Our solutions combine smart industrial design and intelligent software to streamline production processes, which in turn reduces operational costs.

In addition, our machines offer long-term reliability, minimizing the need for frequent repairs, which can cause costly unplanned downtime. Extensive service solutions give peace of mind that any issues will be swiftly resolved.

Q: Why should manufacturers digitalize their food safety processes?

A: The food industry is becoming increasingly digitalized, and this is no bad thing for food safety. Data management software like ProdX™ facilitates seamless traceability and supports compliance with food safety standards and regulations.

In the event of any quality issues, data management software can highlight the problem immediately so corrective action can be taken. This reduces the likelihood of unsafe product reaching the consumer while also optimizing a manufacturer’s food safety processes.

Q: What advice would you give a start-up food manufacturer on selecting the most appropriate product inspection partner?

A: There are a few considerations when selecting a product inspection partner. Arguably, the most important is experience. Choose a partner with a proven track record in providing product inspection solutions to the food industry – they will have insights and knowledge that the less experienced may lack.

Their technology offering must also be strong. To stay compliant, you may need several types of different product inspection solutions, so it’s best to select one partner who can assist you along the whole production line and offer after sales service and training support. This will also limit certain production and maintenance costs, enabling you to keep costs under control while producing safe food.

Q: Where do you see food safety technology in the next five years?

A: Now is a very exciting time in food safety technology – we are seeing many advancements in detection technologies that offer enhanced accuracy in detecting and rejecting foreign body contaminants. This is set to continue in the coming years, along with increased digitalization in food safety processes.

Another big topic is further adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). We will see widespread use of AI in food safety technology over the next five years, which will enable quicker, more efficient contaminant detection. This will, in turn, facilitate faster analysis of and response to food safety incidents.