Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

TECH FLASH

Safety: The foundation of a successful brand

Preventing any contamination issues is always the best course of action.

By Jeffrey Barach
Food safety testing market worth $15 billion by 2019
May 31, 2016

Recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks raise serious concerns among US consumers and manufacturers alike. Each year, the federal government estimates there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses, resulting in approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly interested in knowing the origin of the products they consume. As the globalization of food production has made the supply chain more complex, FDA is fully committed to enforcing a proactive approach envisioned by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Many deadlines for preventive measures have already passed—and by May 31, 2016, manufacturers must have taken appropriate steps to deter, detect and prevent any act of intentional adulteration, such as food fraud for economic gain.

Prevention and innovation

Preventing any contamination issues is always the best course of action, as the consequences of an outbreak can be severe. Most recently, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. reported a 30 percent sales decline due to outbreaks of E. coli, Salmonella and norovirus late last year at several of its restaurants. According to the LA Times, the company expects to spend up to $10 million to help produce safer meat and vegetables from its smaller suppliers and to implement new food chain safety standards.

This expense is on par with industry expectations. The average cost of a recall is about $10 million, according to a Food Defense Whitepaper Series by Tyco Integrated Security. This cost includes communication across the supply chain to all stakeholders, the retrieval and likely destruction of the recalled product, the investigation of why it occurred and implementation of corrections to prevent reoccurrence. It does not include costs associated with litigation, should any tragic events occur, such as injuries and even death. Additional expenses include loss of sales and brand equity, as well as the costs of brand crisis management.

Provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) emphasize planning and prevention. In terms of supply chain risk reduction, minimal food contact surface area design and modular parts can make processing and packaging equipment faster and easier to clean and sanitize between runs. Manufacturers can also turn to robotics and sensors along production lines to modernize their operations and address food safety concerns. These solutions reduce the need for human contact, as mistakes can significantly increase the likelihood of contamination.

Manufacturers can also equip their lines with innovative X-ray technology and video detection systems at critical inspection points to pick up any quality defects or foreign objects in their products. High-pressure processing (HPP) is an example of a non-thermal method viewed as an effective alternative to kill bacteria that may cause foodborne illnesses. These and many other solutions enable manufacturers to achieve greater standards of safety and hygiene as part of their plan for preventing contamination issues.

Transparency

Consumer demand for greater transparency on where their food comes from is also driving the way products are packaged and labeled. To provide more information, brand owners are using packaging to tell the story of their products’ origin. Upfront labeling of organic, preservative-free and locally raised products also help consumers quickly find the goods they are seeking on crowded store shelves. To allay consumer concerns about possible allergens, labeling should indicate what other food products may have come into contact with ingredients as they moved along the supply chain.

PACK EXPO International

Manufacturers should continuously take the time to evaluate their equipment and processing lines to identify ways of enhancing overall efficiency and performance. Part of this evaluation should include ways to reduce the likelihood of food safety compromises to protect consumers and the value of the manufacturer’s brands. Food manufacturers seeking food safety insights and solutions should mark their calendars for PACK EXPO International 2016 (November 6-9, 2016, McCormick Place, Chicago). 

KEYWORDS: FSMA PMMI

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Jeffrey Barach is the FSMA consultant to PMMI, the Association of Packaging and Processing Technologies

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    People & Industry News
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Food Safety
    By: Richard F. Stier
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

Vilter IHP in plant

Industrial Heat Pumps: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Now and the Future

FMTE Formed by Four Food Manufacturing Companies

Coalition Unites Europe’s Food Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment Sector

Sanitation worker spraying water

Fighting the Foodborne Bacteria War with Cleaning and Sanitation

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • OEE in packaging

    Efficiency is the key to a successful line

    See More
  • Food safety

    The state of food safety: How to stay ahead of regulations

    See More
  • James Morris

    The importance of a COVID-19 safety officer

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • statical.jpg

    Statistical Process Control for the Food Industry: A Guide for Practitioners and Managers

  • small-occ.jpg

    Occupational Health and Safety in the Food and Beverage Industry

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!