How real-world data can be used to justify food safety design decisions

Although our clients all fall under the food and beverage umbrella, sanitary design choices don’t always come naturally to them. Still, there is a way to use past experiences to educate clients on hygienic design features while selling food safety features. By presenting real life consequences, you’re offering a strong argument that food safety design features provide long-term value well past the present moment.

Undeclared allergens are the current culprit behind most recalls, often due to mispackaged products. Companies might have dozens of mispackaged product complaints from consumers annually, but the majority will never be pulled from the market simply for having the wrong packaging. However, if the mispack results in an inaccurate allergen statement, it becomes a food safety issue, leading to a recall. Whether the mistake is obvious to the consumer or not, a mispack of this magnitude means the product contains allergens not declared on the label.

What’s Happening

Human error is often the root cause behind mispackaging, particularly when correct ingredients and packaging materials are managed by hand. The person grabbing raw material is noting that they took the correct item on the paperwork. Additionally, poor storage practices or disorganization at the packaging lines can contribute to packaging errors.

The Solution?

We can reduce human error using machine verification. Dennis Group packaging teams typically offer vision systems or barcode scanners, but not every client chooses to integrate them. However, a reminder that 196 out of the 391 FDA recalls that occurred in 2023 were due to undeclared allergens may have them thinking twice. Between the FDA and USDA there have been 23 undeclared allergen recalls as of March 2024. Of those recalls, 39% were due to mispackaged products, with the other 61% a mix of ingredient or allergen declaration state[1]ment errors and cross-contact. If you find a food safety feature is headed for the chopping block, whether equipment or construction materials, try looking to recalls for data-driven justification that your design can help drive value for the client down the line.