Improving FSMA Compliance with Safety Features

Though the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act is approaching its conclusion, the Act is making a lasting impact. Food safety is the top concern for food manufacturers this year, in no small part because of the FSMA. In Food Processing magazine’s annual industry survey, 27% of respondents identified food safety improvements as their top priority for this year, making it the most frequently cited issue. Those same respondents plan to take significant measures to upgrade their food processing operations to assure FSMA compliance, with 21% planning to install equipment with better sanitary designs.
 
What components will these manufacturers scrutinize? Here are three areas where changes to manufacturing equipment can improve FSMA compliance.

 

Eliminate standing water to improve sanitation

In food manufacturing, standing water means contamination. Standing water on equipment is a common source of Listeria Monocytogenes, one of the leading causes of death from foodborne illness.
 
Small design elements like sloped kettle covers and rounded legs will move water away from these places it tends to collect, virtually eliminating this issue.

 

Optimize features to improve clean-in-place procedures

Sanitizing food processing equipment is a crucial part of food safety. This is especially true for manufacturers who use one vessel for multiple products. A few small design elements can streamline the process of sanitizing your equipment between batches.
 
Adding a higher-grade surface finish to the vessel’s inner jackets and other surfaces that come into contact with food can dramatically increase your clean-in-place efficiency. For surfaces that won’t come into contact with food, such as weld joints and seams, grinding and polishing will create smooth, sanitary and easy-to-clean surfaces.

 

Enhance metal detection features to prevent foreign objects in food products

At its most basic level, food safety is about preventing the introduction of contaminants into the final product, regardless of the size, shape or type. 
 
Metal is one of the most common foreign object contaminants. New developments in metal and foreign object detection technology can add to your ability to prevent this type of contamination. For example, scraper blades can now be impregnated with stainless steel powder, making potential contaminants coming from the processing vessel itself visible to both x-ray and magnetic detection systems. X-ray detection systems can also be beneficial for spotting non-metallic foreign objects such as bone or wood.
 
Improving foreign object detection in your processing operation offers the secondary benefit of protecting your equipment from damage, reducing the downtime and associated cost of repairs.

 

Custom manufacturing makes Lee a well-positioned food safety partner

 
Formal implementation deadlines will be all but history by the end of 2019. But the effects of the Food Safety Modernization Act will last for many years to come, affecting every part of your food processing operation.
 
Lee is uniquely positioned to meet the challenges raised by the FSMA. We understand the challenges the Act has brought for food manufacturers, and our custom solutions can help you overcome these challenges in the way best-suited to your organization. To learn more about how kettle design and configuration can optimize safety, quality and production, download Complying — And Thriving — With the Food Safety Modernization Act today, or contact our service team to learn how a Lee process engineer can help you find the right answer to your food safety questions.