TIME TO APPLY ADVANCED ACCESS TECHNOLOGY TO

FOOD PROCESSING SAFETY

© iStockphoto.com/LindaMarieB

WHO GOES WHERE AND DOES WHAT in your plant or processing facility is critical to the security of your product and the reputation of your brand. New access technology can better assure that neither is compromised.

By RON LUNDE

TODAY, FOOD EXECUTIVES ARE BEING DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION BY A SHARPLY ESCALATING NUMBER OF FOOD SAFETY INCIDENTS AND ISSUES. A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report notes that, according to some estimates, in 2007 more than 4,000 product recalls were administered by regulatory agencies, up from fewer than 500 in 2000.

The negative impression this cascade of recalls creates and the consumer confidence it steadily erodes is

becoming a serious problem for the CPG industry. So, too, is unease of industry leaders and their retail customers, who fear that they, too, are living under the sword of Damocles –– that it’s just a matter of time before

someone in their plant or store slips up or a critical step is missed, resulting in people sickened and fingers pointed at their own company.