7 June is World Food Safety Day. Food safety includes ensuring that no foreign bodies or undesirable substances contaminate the product. In order to reduce the occurrence of foreign bodies in food, it is necessary to control every stage of production and ensure that machines, hand tools and other equipment are in good working order.
Metal detectors, optical separators, magnetic separators and X-ray equipment can be used on production lines. Metal detectors or X-Ray, however, will find their use when the items being sought are detectable by them. For the system to work, it is necessary to introduce tools and equipment that are detectable by metal detectors and X-Ray and that ensure the highest standards of occupational hygiene and production. Detectable products are made from a variety of materials that offer the best possibilities for food applications. These include stainless steel or plastic, which are designed for food contact but contain elements detectable by metal and X-Ray detectors. The use of detectable accessories for washing systems, such as covers for quick couplers or lances, is an excellent option.
In addition to food safety, there is also a concept such as food protection. Protection complements safety and focuses on protecting food assets from deliberate contamination by people who want to harm the company or buyers. Adverse actions can bring down the reputation of companies’ brands and, in more drastic situations, lead to the loss of consumers’ health or lives. The easiest way to contaminate a product is with substances that are already on the premises. Various types of cleaning agents and disinfectants are used for cleaning. Regardless of whether they are acidic or alkaline preparations, they must be stored in a safe manner that does not endanger the produced food and employees. According to current food safety standards, such as IFS, BRC, cleaning agents should not be on the premises during the production process and free access to them should be eliminated. Lockable stainless steel safety racks for chemical canisters can be a solution.