How Properly Designed Food Grade Platforms Can Mitigate Potential Food Safety Risks & Hazards
With more stringent food safety rules being proposed for the food and beverage industry, companies are paying careful attention to equipment being used in their food production and processing plants particularly in open product zones.
When it comes to the safety and security of America’s food supply, food and beverage companies understand they only have one option: abide by the
highest standards put forth by regulating bodies in the industry to ensure consumer safety.
In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed some of the most sweeping food safety rules in decades, in response to high-profile outbreaks of food-borne illness and death from salmonella in cantaloupe, mangoes, and peanut butter.
One of the proposals called for by the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has food companies documenting plans to identify potential hazards, putting in place steps to address those hazards, verifying that these steps are working, and outlining the resolution of any issues.
The FDA would evaluate these plans and continue to inspect facilities to make sure that the plans are being implemented properly.
These measures would be a concerted effort to prevent food contamination, instead of just reacting to outbreaks.
Case Study: Pepsi Beverages Company
With this deeper understanding of food grade platforms, let’s consider a real-life application by Pepsi Beverages Company. In 2012, the company installed food grade platforms at its Dallas, Texas, production plant. This is a look at how engineers designed the platforms to minimize potential food safety risks and hazards to its beverage filling line.
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