Food Contamination: Risk Factors To Consider

During an interview at PACK EXPO 2014, Doug Pedersen, Sales Manager of Inspection Systems at S+S Inspection Systems, spoke with Todd Youngblood and Todd Schnick about food product integrity and contamination risk factors in the food industry. Pedersen lists the risks in food types, stating that some foods have higher risks than others, giving the example of meats being more vulnerable than breads. After risk is determined, Pedersen believes an assessment should be completed to determine the areas where the most foreign materials can enter a food-manufacturing or processing line. Pedersen also offers his opinion on the impact FSMA will have on the product inspection process, stating the legislation is forcing companies to become proactive rather than reactive. Finally, Pedersen discusses overcoming the barrier of plant managers believing there can be too much inspection and the extra precaution is unnecessary.