The 5 things poultry processors should know about food safety

Contamination of food is an ever-present risk in poultry processing. By the time a delicious chicken fillet reaches the end consumer, it has endured a long journey through the processing and production chain, with innumerable food contamination hazards along the way.

Physical contaminants like bone fragments, plastic, metal, glass and wood can be detected with X-ray scanning. On the other hand, if soft contaminants would be detectable too, this would evade traditional human detection.

Chemical and biological packing contaminants are similarly invisible – at least to the human eye.

The risks, however, are enormous. Contaminations put consumer health at risk and can severely damage a processor’s reputation should the product not meet quality, hygiene, or safety expectations.

When contaminated food finds its way to the consumer, the resulting food recall comes with a high price tag. But consumer safety should be the number one concern, even above the financial and reputational damage done to food processors.

Food recalls actually stagnated or fell slightly in most developed countries. So, why are we – collectively as consumers as well as food industry leaders – seemingly seeing more about food safety in the news and online? Here are two possible reasons:

• Consumer trends

Heightened allergen awareness, the minimally processed food movement (see also: sushi and ceviche), and widespread bans on plastic that might be useful in preventing contamination were identified as contributors to rising food safety concerns in 2020. Consumers are paying closer attention and demanding food that forces processors to adapt.

• Social media visibility

Now that most of the world’s population is online, news of food contamination cases spreads like wildfire. However, this is also an opportunity to limit risk factors on both sides. Social media should be a key consideration in a recall crisis plan. Keeping consumers informed of evolving situations, and engaging in real-time conversation with a large audience, are two things that weren’t possible before social media became mainstream.

In the developed world, the public and private sectors have collaborated to introduce legislation and regulations around foodborne illnesses. However, many developing countries are still in the early stages of that journey. Foodborne diseases remain a significant threat in places where populations are rising fastest.

Regulation by food authorities is a key step in foreign material control and other food safety concerns.

But regulations alone might not be enough. Only a close collaboration between poultry processors, suppliers, customers, partners and end consumers can safeguard the future of the world’s food supply.

Here at Marel, we strive for partnerships, working closely with customers to transform the way food is processed around the world. By investing heavily in innovation, partnering with visionary companies like TOMRA, and localizing our service offering to stay close to customers, we can keep ahead of emerging trends.