fragments, is another leading cause of recalls, tied in third place with non-allergen-related labelling errors. The presence of metal fragments in food poses a serious risk of injury, making it a key focus area for quality control teams.
Additionally, food fraud remains a pressing issue, with the UK’ s National Food Crime Unit( NFCU) issuing an amber food crime alert regarding document fraud in laboratory results. Fraudulent lab reports undermine food safety assessments, legislative compliance, and supplier approval processes. This alarming trend highlights the need for robust traceability and verification systems to ensure consumer safety and maintain trust in food products.
Preventing Recalls: The Role of Technology and HACCP
To mitigate these risks, food manufacturers must implement rigorous quality control measures, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points( HACCP) strategies, which help identify potential contamination risks at every stage of production. Effective traceability systems and accurate labelling solutions are also essential in preventing mislabelling errors and ensuring that recalled products can be efficiently removed from circulation.
Harford Control: Ensuring Accuracy and Traceability
Harford Control provides Autocoding Solutions to ensure accurate labelling, ensuring that the right information appears on the right label and that the correct label is applied to the right packaging. The solution plays a crucial role in preventing Never Event recalls, minimising the risk of allergen mislabelling and enhancing overall food safety compliance.
Additionally, Harford’ s Laboratory Information Management System( LIMS) enables manufacturers to track and trace approved materials while monitoring noncompliant products. By providing full traceability of ingredients and finished goods, LIMS strengthens laboratory quality control and ensures compliance with stringent food safety regulations. It also facilitates efficient recall management when necessary.
Harford Autocoding and LIMS Solutions can be integrated seamlessly. Any batches from the shop floor will automatically initiate certain actions based on predefined risks, thereby protecting the consumer.
Smart Solutions to Prevent Recalls
Product recalls are avoidable, through diligent attention to detail, and risks, at each stage of food and drink manufacturing, thereby ensuring that the customer obtains only the food, plus allergens, as stated on the packaging. Mix ups or misunderstandings may still occur at the retail or fast-food outlet, which can be reduced, if not eliminated, through better training, supervision and communication. In time, the consumer will also become better informed.
To this end, the Natasha Foundation( set up in memory of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, whose life was tragically cut short through eating an apparently allergenfree bread roll that contained sesame seed extract, purchased on confident assurances of safety from Pret a Manger) are doing brilliant work to raise awareness of allergen risks and only last week introducing a training programme for schools called‘ Allergy School’. In the UK alone, there are on average two children per class suffering from allergies.
As recalls continue to evolve in complexity, leveraging advanced solutions such as Autocoding and LIMS to minimise risk, is key to protecting consumers, ensuring regulatory compliance and maintaining brand integrity.
When you are ready to learn more about available protection, please get in touch with our specialists at info @ harfordcontrol. com or call us on + 44( 0) 1225 764461.
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